In October 2006, PCD held a traditional medicine exchange activity in Yunnan for community facilitators. Participants were mainly villagers from Longzuishi of Songming County, and in Dadong and Mengli of Mojiang County – all members of traditional medicine-learning groups. The activity aimed to convey the connection between ecological health and community health.

With the support of PCD, the people from the three villages were divided into groups according to their age and sex. Longzuishi is a Miao village, while Dadong and Mengli are both Hani communities. Villagers learned about traditional medicine from their fellow members in the learning groups.

Lush green mountains filled with so many medicinal plants, and the wisdom of the ancestors and the people, are valuable resources of the communities. To pass on this indigenous knowledge, to pass on such wisdom, are of great help in the prevention and treatment of common diseases. Such efforts can also help alleviate the burden of health care costs. In the course of exchange, we realized that ethnic minorities have a deep and immense knowledge of traditional medicine. Their view of health is embodied in their understanding of human relationships and the relationship between man and nature.

There is a Chinese idiom saying, “Among any three people, I will surely find something valuable to learn.” Similarly, every participant knows something about traditional medicine. The exchange not only could help spread knowledge, but also help participants to enrich their experience by integrating the feedback from other participants: the activity was further developed through the on-the-spot participation. In addition to the Miao and Hani, other minority groups joined: the Bulangs and Ainis from Xishuangbanna, and Zangs from Diqing prefecture. Each group shared knowledge of folk medicine and medicinal herbs, and voicing their different sets of knowledge and experience promoted group learning in their home communities. To expose oneself to these on-the-spot exchange visits is an ideal way for participants to acquire knowledge on medicinal herbs.

Another activity called ‘Community Health Walk’, to provide participants with an opportunity to learn and exchange information on medicinal plants, was organized in Longzuishi village. Participants observed and discussed matters related to community health through group work; they realized that health is closely related to their livelihoods, farm production, nature, and also the social and cultural environment. Being the host of this event, Longzuishi villagers received participants in a warm, friendly manner. They showed visitors around the forests, fields and their living areas while listening attentively to comments and suggestions on matters regarding sewage, refuse management, and chemical fertilizers.

The participants enjoyed the visit and expressed that the learning has brought benefits to their physical and mental health. They also voiced out that health is a matter related to the well being of a whole community, and the exchange of knowledge and experience with others makes learning more complete and more effective, and understanding all the deeper. It is hoped that the participants will sustain their motives for learning with their group members so that their knowledge will further develop and their communities will achieve stronger social cohesion and will eventually develop into healthy and harmonious societies.