While recently in Uganda, the Trainees related many breathtaking stories…how their acupuncture treatments led to a significant reduction in size and pain from grossly enlarged spleens, a condition previously untreatable. …another spoke of one of his AIDS patients who, because of his acupuncture treatments, was once again able to walk… And another described how his treatments greatly reduced the severity and frequency of epileptic seizures.

This brief note came to us from Richard Mandell, a Boston-based licensed acupuncturist, a few months ago. Richard founded PAAP, The Pan African Acupuncture Project, in 2003. For people living in remote corners of the world where traditional medicine is limited or even non-existent, diseases like HIV/AIDS, malaria, or TB are daily realities. With the dearth of modern medicine available, alternative choices can be true life-savers and it was this problem that Richard chose to address when he began PAAP. PAAP’s volunteer acupuncturists have trained more than 200 healthcare workers, primarily in Uganda, to use acupuncture’s miraculous techniques in the treatment of these diseases.

Richard estimates that since beginning, more than 50 trainers, a number of whom have volunteered multiple times, have provided approximately 17,000 treatments each year-a very impressive number.

The Good People Fund offered of a $6000 matching grant to expand this amazing work and we were thrilled when Richard reported that his donors responded enthusiastically to the challenge.