Ancestral Medicine in the Fight Against COVID-19
Ancient wisdom in the service of life
In the midst of one of the greatest health crises of our time, when the entire world was searching for answers to the devastation caused by COVID-19, the Indigenous communities of Ecuador reminded us of something essential: health is also born from the soul, from the Earth, from balance, and from ancestral wisdom.
This is how the project “Ancestral Medicine in the Fight Against COVID-19” was born, driven by the Futuro Equinoccial Foundation in collaboration with the Parish Government of Ilumán, and with the valuable support of PPD–UNDP, the GEF, and the Government of Germany. This initiative was built from a community-based, spiritual, and ecological perspective, with deep respect for the Yachaks, the wise healers of our ancestral cultures.
A Living Legacy That Heals
Yachaks are not just healers they are guides, guardians of balance, and bearers of knowledge that has survived for centuries. They understand health as a holistic state where body, mind, spirit, and nature exist in harmony. In times of uncertainty and isolation, their role was vital. They offered emotional support, healing rituals, medicinal plants, and above all, hope.
Aware of their value, this project placed the strengthening of ancestral medicine at its core, ensuring its preservation through direct teaching from elder Yachaks to the younger generation. It was an act of love and continuity: millennia-old wisdom passed down through generations.
Caring for the Wise Is Caring for Life
But protecting knowledge is not enough we must also empower those who carry it. For this reason, the second component of the project included training for the Yachaks in financial education, human rights, gender perspectives, and learning techniques. Our goal was to honor their full role: as social actors, leaders, and human beings with rights.
Additionally, community workshops were held, such as the dynamic gathering on Rights and Gender in San Juan de Ilumán, where the local population actively participated in an intercultural dialogue that strengthened collective ties.
Healing Also Means Caring for the Earth
Ancestral medicine cannot exist without nature. That’s why the project included a powerful action: the conservation of 45,000 native plants and the planting of 20,000 more through community work efforts (mingas). Together with the Larcacunga nursery, and under the guidance of Isauro Perugachi, we walked through sacred healing spaces where life springs forth. With every seed planted, a commitment to the future blossoms.
Wisdom and Technology: A Necessary Alliance
In an emotional ceremony, Juan José Proaño, president of our foundation, donated a drone to the Parish Government of Ilumán, represented by its president Jorge de la Torre. This drone will enable environmental monitoring, thus merging ancestral wisdom with technological innovation to protect the sacred territories that nourish communities both physically and spiritually.
Passing on the Legacy
One of the most moving moments was seeing the venerable Yachaks share their knowledge with the youth of San Juan de Ilumán High School. They spoke not only of plants and rituals, but also of identity, resistance, and love for their culture. The students listened with wonder, and the elders spoke with pride, knowing their wisdom would live on in each of them.
A Path Just Beginning
This project has been a powerful demonstration of what happens when diversity is respected, ancestral wisdom is valued, and actions come from the heart. It was not just a response to COVID-19 it was a profound gesture of recognition, an act of cultural justice, and a planting of hope for the present and the future.
From the Futuro Equinoccial Foundation, we remain committed to supporting initiatives born from the land and blossoming with the soul of its people.
Institutional Acknowledgmentso
From the Futuro Equinoccial Foundation, we extend our deepest gratitude to all the institutions that made the implementation of the project “Ancestral Medicine in the Fight Against COVID-19” possible.
This collective effort would not have been achievable without the valuable funding and technical support of:
The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection of Germany, through the Community-Based Responses to COVID-19 initiative.
The Small Grants Programme (PPD) – Ecuador, of the Global Environment Facility (FMAM).
The United Nations Development Programme (PNUD).
CIESPAL, for its strategic collaboration in strengthening communication efforts.
And to all the allies who believed in our vision to rescue, value, and promote the wisdom of the Yachaks as a fundamental part of community resilience.
Thank you for believing in the strength of ancestral knowledge and in the transformative power of organized communities. This project is living proof that when we walk together, healing and change are truly possible.
Image Gallery
Graphic Report: Ancestral Medicine Project in the Fight Against COVID-19
This graphic report captures the most meaningful moments of the project "Ancestral Medicine in the Fight Against COVID-19," where the wisdom of the Yachaks, community work, and respect for nature came together in a collective effort to heal, protect, and preserve life. Through these images, we relive the commitment, dedication, and hope sown in every step of the journey.
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