Many people know of Doctors Without Borders, but you may be surprised to learn that practitioners of alternative and complementary medicine are similarly active. Herbalists Without Borders is a local and global network of volunteers that travel to communities that have been impacted by natural disasters, violent conflicts, poverty, and other situations and have limited access to good health and wellness care

The projects organized by Herbalists Without Borders span from sharing herbal medicine in Kenya to providing training and support to refugees in Greece. The organization also supports free people’s clinics, mobile clinics, street medics, disaster relief, seed saving, community gardens and more in communities worldwide. This allows residents to get care when they otherwise would not be able to access it due to financial restrictions.

By providing these services, people can get and stay well before conditions deteriorate to serious or critical levels. This not only helps preserve life, but improves the economic well-being of the affected areas thanks to an improved ability to perform work. It also allows other doctors, such as surgeons, to focus on those who need more advanced care.

What is Herbalists Without Borders?

The organization has two main focal points: health justice and humanitarian aid. To drive this mission, Herbalists Without Borders organizes sustainable, herbal, health and wellness projects to spark ongoing care in communities in need. Partnering with community-based chapters, the projects are founded on education, advocacy and grassroots projects, as well as focused on delivering natural and botanical health and wellness solutions. 

The Power of Herbs

Using herbs to improve health and wellness is not a new concept. Archaeological evidence indicates that medicinal plants have been around for nearly 60,000 years, and the reason is simple: when used properly, they have powerful healing properties. There are different cultural types of herbal medicine - including Western, Aboriginal, Chinese and Ayurvedic (Indian) - which use their own unique and traditional herbal treatments.

Common medicinal herbs include chamomile, echinacea, ginger and saw palmetto, and their effects range from mild to surprisingly powerful. They have the potential to relieve common ailments like indigestion, stress, anxiety and colds, plus they can be used to lower blood pressure, fight infections, treat heart disease and more.

The therapeutic activity of a plant is due to its complex chemical nature and different parts of the plant provides certain effects. It also depends on the extraction method, the way it was processed and the form it takes. At New Chapter, many of our supplements are created with beneficial herbs to support a variety of health needs.

How to Join or Donate to Herbalists Without Borders

Herbalists Without Borders is operated entirely by volunteers. You can support the organization’s mission by providing a donation or finding a local chapter to provide a more active form of help. As a member, you’ll receive technical support to organize your own chapter, access to donated supplies, free resources and guides and much more. To stay connected, you can also tune into their Herbal Action podcast to explore topics like radical herbalism and dental herbalism and even learn about Puerto Rico recovery and volunteerism.

The organization is a making a difference in underserved communities around the world by providing access to holistic care through herbal medicine. As a company founded on sharing healing herbal traditions, supporting the organization is a natural partnership for New Chapter. Join us by becoming a member or making a donation to play a part in improving the health and wellness for those in communities of need across the globe.