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YOURWELLNESSSPA HERBAL HEALTH PHOTOS COURTESY HERBALISTS WITHOUT BORDERS Herbalists Without Borders Rooted in compassion and Mother Nature, this global organization has been quietly healing the world for nearly a decade. By Andrea Renskoff 60 DAYSPA | DECEMBER 2015 "People hear 'Herbalists Without Borders' and they think one of two things," says the organization's ex- ecutive director Gigi Stafne. "Either that it's just some funky, fringe, herb-y chick, or that it's like Doctors Without Borders, with lots of funding and publicity." Neither assumption is true. As Stafne explains, Herb- alists Without Borders (HWB; herbalistswithoutborders .weebly.com) is an international, grassroots, non-profi t organization bringing affordable natural and botanical health and wellness to many corners of the world. Founded in 2006 by Pennsylvania herbalist Jennifer Chesworth with the goal to create access to natural health care in rural areas, HWB may have a modest mailing address in tiny Alma, Wisconsin, but its impact is felt across the globe. The organization had seven chapters when it was taken over by master herbalist and naturopath Stafne in 2008, just when the economic recession hit. At that time many individuals, groups and companies were fi ling bankruptcies related to healthcare issues, and the new leader saw the need to grow the organization, both domestically and internationally. Today, HWB boasts 55 chapters across fi ve continents, with more than 35 of them in North America. ON A MISSION The World Health Organization reports that 80% of people across the planet use plant-based medicine as their primary healthcare treatment. Herbalists Without Borders fulfi lls a vital function, reaching out to commu- nities in need with education, training, mobile clinics and special projects. The organization is operated by an impressive range of volunteers, among them herbalists, naturopathic doctors, complementary and alternative medicine practitioners, botanical medicine manufactur- ers, organic farmers, humanitarian aid and emergency medicine workers, teachers, students and activists. "Sometimes we will identify an area that needs long- range care, as we did with our recently started chapters in Kentucky and Ashville, North Carolina," says Stafne, "and sometimes a region or community comes to us Volunteers from Herbalists Without Borders bring natural remedies to people in need.