Discover how to grow, harvest, and use traditional medicinal plants for health and wellness in your community. Learn to create healing gardens that honor ancestral knowledge while addressing contemporary health needs.
Africa has a rich heritage of traditional plant medicine that has supported community health for generations. This comprehensive course bridges ancestral wisdom with contemporary understanding, teaching you how to cultivate, harvest, and use medicinal plants effectively and responsibly.
Whether you're interested in preserving traditional knowledge, creating a home apothecary garden, or developing community health resources, this course provides both the practical skills and cultural context needed to work with medicinal plants. You'll learn about plants that thrive in various African environments and their applications for common health concerns.
Through video lessons, expert interviews, hands-on demonstrations, and detailed guides, you'll develop a holistic understanding of medicinal plants that respects both traditional wisdom and scientific evidence. The course emphasizes sustainable harvesting, ethical considerations, and the integration of plant medicine within broader health practices.
This comprehensive online course includes:
All course materials are available in both English and French, with some resources also available in Swahili, Yoruba, and Amharic.
No prior experience with medicinal plants is required. Basic gardening knowledge is helpful but not necessary. Our "Introduction to Sustainable Gardening" course provides a good foundation if you're new to plant cultivation.
This course is educational in nature and not intended to replace professional medical advice. We emphasize safe usage, proper identification, and integration with, rather than replacement of, conventional healthcare when needed.
Ethnobotanist & Traditional Medicine Specialist
Aminata Diop has dedicated over 25 years to studying, documenting, and teaching about African medicinal plants. With a background in both traditional healing practices and formal ethnobotany, she brings a unique perspective that bridges ancestral wisdom with contemporary understanding.
As the founder of the African Medicinal Plant Network and author of three books on traditional plant medicine, Aminata has worked with healers across West and Central Africa to document and preserve plant knowledge while advocating for its respectful integration into modern wellness practices.
Her approach emphasizes the cultural context of plant medicine, sustainable practices, and the importance of honoring knowledge keepers while making traditional plant wisdom accessible to new generations. Aminata is passionate about creating healing gardens that serve as living libraries of traditional knowledge.
2 months ago
As a community health worker in Ghana, I was looking for ways to honor our traditional plant knowledge while ensuring safe practices. This course provided exactly what I needed - a balanced approach that respects tradition while incorporating evidence-based information. The plant profiles specific to West Africa were incredibly valuable, and I've already started a small demonstration garden at our community center using the design principles taught in the course.
3 months ago
I enrolled in this course to learn how to grow medicinal plants for my family, but I gained so much more. The cultural context and ethical considerations were eye-opening, and I now have a deeper appreciation for our healing traditions. The practical demonstrations made it easy to follow along - I've successfully made my first tinctures and salves! Aminata is an incredible teacher who clearly cares deeply about preserving this knowledge responsibly.
1 month ago
As someone who grew up learning about plant medicine from my grandmother, I was skeptical about an online course on this topic. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the depth and respect with which the subject was treated. The course validated much of what I learned traditionally while adding scientific context. My only suggestion would be to include more content on plants from the Sahel region, but overall this was an excellent investment in preserving and extending our family's healing traditions.
Learn the fundamentals of sustainable gardening practices that work with nature, conserve resources, and produce abundant harvests.
Learn advanced composting techniques for creating rich, living soil amendments using locally available materials.
Master simple and effective techniques for capturing, storing, and utilizing rainwater in your garden and home.
This course bridges both traditional African plant medicine systems and contemporary herbalism approaches. We honor and center traditional knowledge while providing scientific context when available. The course emphasizes the cultural and historical significance of plant medicine traditions while also addressing modern applications and safety considerations.
Yes! The course covers medicinal plants from various African regions, with specific modules focusing on plants from West, East, Central, and Southern Africa. We provide detailed profiles of plants that grow in different climates and environments across the continent. The downloadable resources include regional plant guides to help you focus on what's most relevant to your location.
Absolutely. While accessible to beginners, the course includes evidence-based information and scientific context that makes it valuable for healthcare professionals interested in traditional plant medicine. Many nurses, doctors, and community health workers have taken the course to better understand the plant medicines their patients may be using and to explore complementary approaches. The module on integration with conventional healthcare is particularly relevant for medical professionals.
Not at all. The course covers approaches for various settings, from rural plots to urban containers. Many medicinal plants grow well in pots or small spaces, and we provide specific guidance for space-constrained gardening. You can start with just a few key plants and expand as space and interest allow.
Yes, we offer scholarships for traditional knowledge keepers, community health workers, and individuals with financial constraints. We believe in making this knowledge accessible, particularly to those who will use it to benefit their communities. Please contact our team at courses@dilulu.org with details about your situation and how you plan to use the knowledge gained from this course.
No, this course is educational in nature and does not qualify you as a medical practitioner or traditional healer. We emphasize responsible use of plant medicine for general wellness and minor, self-limiting conditions. The course teaches respect for the boundaries of plant medicine and the importance of appropriate referral to healthcare providers when needed. Our focus is on preserving traditional knowledge, creating healing gardens, and using common medicinal plants safely within their traditional and evidence-based applications.
