Health project: Moringa tree madness

What drought resistant tree treats flu, rash, fever, anemia, malnutrition, can be a form of birth control and overall immune booster? Wait, is that even possible? Fortunately yes. This might be why it’s dubbed as a miracle tree. Okay fine. Since you asked so nicely, I’ll give you a hint. Funny enough, it’s found in pretty much every nation of the developing south that is afflicted with drought, many and most with limited access to healthcare. If you guessed the Mango, Pine or Gum tree, you’d be pretty far off. This Mti mwa myujizai or “miracle tree” is called the Moringa Olifeira. In addition to the conditions aforementioned it can even be used as a water filtration method as well as fertilizer for barren soil in the form of oil extract.

Ancient Asian and African societies have been using almost every part of this tree for medicinal purposes for centuries and guess who’s got whiff of this little miracle and its potential? That’s right! The GVI Shimoni Health Project is entering phase 4 of what we like to call ‘Moringa Madness’.  After tons of research (shout out to all our volunteers that played a part) and some extensive planting trials, we are drafting a presentation and setting up workshops for the Community Health workers, dispensary staff as well as our academic partners. In my book we all need a personal stash in our backyards and that’s what we are trying to provide for any and all who need it.

The aim is to provide awareness to our partners and soon after actually be planting in the schools with seedling nurseries at the dispensary. Who knows, soon patients could be handed a tree as a cost effective supplement to other medicine. The impact could be HUGE: starting from supplementary cost effective treatment to helping to make a critical breakthrough on prevention and treatment of some of Shimoni’s major health conditions. If you can’t tell, we’re really excited about it and wanted to share some of the progress with all of you. That’s it for now, signing off from Kenyan the coastal paradise known as Shimoni. Don’t forest to keep an eye out for more updates on Moringa Madness! 

Matata Diomande - Health Project Field Staff

Health project: Moringa tree madness