Boricua Barefoot Doctors


Who are "Barefoot Doctors"?

The term "Barefoot Doctors" originates in China in 1968 and refers to rural folks that received basic medical and paramedical training as a means of expanding basic health care to rural villages in China. These brigades of "Barefoot Doctors" helped bring basic health care to underserved rural areas where urban-trained doctors would not settle. Wikipedia.

Although associated with Asia, the "Barefoot Doctors" movement has expanded through out the world and currently refers to efforts by local and often indigenous people to assist their local communities using natural healing modalities


Present Day Puerto Rico: Boricua Barefoot Doctors is born out of Humanity and Community

In the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Maria, storms of unprecedented strength and wind that reaped massive destruction and deforestation across the island, millions of American citizens in Puerto Rico find themselves isolated; without clean water and electricity and with poor or no communication.  Some communities are even further isolated due to bridge failures and mudslides.  These circumstances place the health and wellness of millions of people at risk.  As people outside of PR look on in great sympathy, what has arisen in many neighborhoods, from this bomb-like devastation, are deep expressions of humanity and community.  Humanity, defined by Merriam-Webster as compassionate, sympathetic, or generous behavior or disposition; and community, a unified body of individuals living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common.  Boricua Barefoot Doctors, a unified group of volunteer healers, was born out of this heightened sense of humanity and community, with the explicit goal of improving community health through education and access to affordable integrative healthcare.  Boricua Barefoot Doctors are bodyworkers, herbalists, acupuncturists, psychologists, naturopathic doctors, medical doctors, massage therapists, reiki practitioners, chiropractors, nutritionists, cranio-sacral and visceral manipulation practitioners.  Most importantly, Boricua Barefoot Doctors are human beings, with a desire and commitment, deeply rooted in love, to come together as a community to help heal community.  

See Community Clinics for images from our monthly activities.


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