|
With steering and advisory committees full of holistic physicians,
ethnobotanists, ecologists, and indigenous people, Naturaleza is
poised to lead a sustainable revolution in the way the world culture
preserves the Earth’s natural places, botanical diversity,
and indigenous peoples, all of which are disappearing so quickly
it nearly takes your breath away.
Naturaleza was founded with a mission to “assist in the generation
of fresh revenue streams for the continued preservation of our world's
natural places and the deep cultural traditions therein.”
For President Todd Pesek, M.D., an holistic physician, ethnobotanist,
and ecologist, this means instituting programs and policies that
practice social responsibility and environmental awareness while
helping native peoples improve their situation in these four areas:
- Health and Wellness
- Agriculture
- Education
- Cultural Awareness
Through Naturaleaza’s La Sierra Tropical Research Facility
and Clinic Initiative, the charity will be establishing a research
facility and medical clinic in Southern Belize that will support
visiting national and international health care professionals. It
will aim to provide emergency and infectious disease care and occupational
and physical therapies to local populations. The clinic initiative
will also serve as a collaborative research facility in topics such
as tropical/wilderness medicine, epidemiological/infectious disease,
public health, and traditional healing modalities like shamanism,
bush medicine and herbalism.
Naturaleza’s other health-related endeavors include development
of sustainably harvested, fair-trade phytomedicine and a shamanistic
apprenticeship program. The charity focuses on a holistic approach
to cultural health, ensuring that all their programs meet the needs
of the indigenous people served and the environment. Given this,
obtaining the Humane Charity Seal of Approval was a natural extension
of the charity’s creative approaches to problem solving. The
foundation’s web site explains: “We would like to facilitate
creativity and illustrate alternatives with regard to the more archaic
and outdated models currently still in use by some.”
For more information, visit www.naturalezafoundation.org.
Each month the Council on Humane Giving profiles a health charity
that displays the Humane Charity Seal of Approval on its website
or literature. Please consider showing your support by writing a
letter of thanks or giving a donation, and be sure to tell your
friends, family and coworkers about this outstanding health charity.
Humane Charity Spotlight Archive
|
