Gabon
Gabon is central to African spirituality and home to the Bwiti tradition. Supporting the people of Gabon is essential for preserving this unique spiritual heritage, ensuring the sustainability of the Tabernanthe Iboga trees, and maintaining a vital part of African spiritual diversity.
Supporting Culture, Land, and Lineage
Photo Credit: Yann Guignon, Blessings of the Forest
Issika is a community-based NGO rooted in the forest-edge village of Okolassi, Gabon. It shares its name with the sacred temple founded by Grand Master Moubeyi Bouale—also known as “Missengué”—a revered spiritual leader and the National Director of Maghanga Ma Nzambé (ANMMN), an association dedicated to preserving the Bwiti (Missoko) rite.
At the heart of Issika’s spiritual and communal life are two consecrated Bwiti Fathers: Grand Master Moubeyi Bouale and Vincent Maghamou, the temple’s guardian. Together, they steward the Bwiti Missoko lineage, with Issika serving as the ceremonial base for ANMMN’s rituals and teachings. Issika stands as a living expression of the Bwiti (Missoko) tradition—an ancient spiritual path deeply rooted in nature, ceremony, and ancestral wisdom.
As modern urban development continues to approach, the community is seeking a more secluded forest space to carry forward its sacred practices and educate future generations in alignment with traditional values.
To support the continuity of this sacred work, the Issika Association—established with the guidance of Blessings of the Forest (BOTF)—is working to acquire forest land a few kilometers from the current village. This new space will serve as a dedicated site for initiations, healing ceremonies, and traditional education in a tranquil natural setting.
The Land Will Also Be Used To:
Launch agroforestry initiatives, including iboga cultivation for ceremonial use, aligned with the Nagoya Protocol
Expand youth training programs in traditional medicine, handicrafts, and beekeeping
Build a school where elders can teach the next generation directly
Photo Credit: Yann Guignon, Blessings of the Forest
Our Partnership and Role
Sacred Roots Foundation is honored to support this initiative in alignment with Blessings of the Forest, who have laid the groundwork and continue to guide the project’s development. Our role is simply to assist in amplifying this effort and connecting resources to meet the community’s vision.
Contribute to the Vision
We are currently raising $15,000 for land acquisition and an additional $15,000 for initial village development. To ensure transparency and proper allocation, all funds are held and managed by BOTF and are transferred directly to Issika’s Association.
Sacred Roots Foundation keeps 0% of your donation—we do not use any portion for administrative overhead or outside projects. All operational costs are covered privately so that every dollar supports this community-led initiative.
Every contribution—big or small—supports Issika in creating a space where tradition can continue, where young people can learn from their elders, and where the Bwiti Misoko lineage can continue to thrive.
The Bigger Picture: Building for the Future
This campaign lays the foundation for a long-term vision to support the Issika community in acquiring forest land and for its continued development. The immediate goal is to raise $15,000 to purchase land for a traditional school, agroforestry, and ceremonial space—ensuring the community can live, cultivate, and carry forward their ancestral practices in harmony with the forest.
But this is just the beginning.
As the new village takes root, Sacred Roots Foundation remains dedicated to assisting its development in continued partnership and guidance from BOTF—including support for ecological infrastructure (e.g., solar energy), ceremonial structures, youth education, and long-term forest stewardship.
Sustaining the Vision
To sustain this vision, we aim to raise $20,000 annually in continued support to:
Support elders and community leaders
Build and maintain an eco-village
Fund intergenerational cultural education
Conserve surrounding forest land from exploitation
Partner with Blessings of the Forest‘s council.
Your Impact
By contributing today, you’re not just helping secure the land—you’re helping nourish a living cultural tradition, grounded in wisdom, community, and continuity for generations to come.
Smile Gabon
At Sacred Roots Foundation, we are committed to transforming health outcomes in Gabon through our project, Smile Gabon, which is dedicated to tackling the urgent dental health crisis affecting vulnerable communities, particularly young people. In Gabon, preventable dental issues such as untreated cavities and infections frequently escalate into life-threatening conditions due to limited access to dental care and education. This dental health crisis isn’t just a matter of medical neglect—it’s a humanitarian issue that leaves countless individuals, especially children, suffering in silence. Smile Gabon aims to change this reality by providing access to life-saving dental procedures, preventative care, and education that empowers individuals and communities to prioritize their oral health.
Through Smile Gabon, our mission is to save lives by addressing both immediate and long-term dental health needs. We work with local healthcare providers to offer essential treatments that prevent minor dental issues from becoming severe, systemic health problems that can lead to complications such as endocarditis, a condition that can be fatal. By bringing resources, treatment, and education directly to those in need, we’re working to build a foundation for sustainable health improvements in Gabon. Every contribution to Smile Gabon directly supports our commitment to ending unnecessary suffering and ensuring that every individual has the chance for a healthy smile and a brighter, healthier future.
Youths in need of dental support
SUCCESS STORY
Abibetou received critical dental care that saved her from further infection and severe discomfort. Through our nonprofit, we raised the funds needed to give her a pain-free, healthier future.
Together, we can do the same for many more individuals in urgent need—bringing health, relief, and renewed smiles to those who need it most.
MAMA TOTO's VILLAGE
In Africa, countless women face harrowing realities—from sexual violence to societal structures that leave them vulnerable and without spaces for spiritual growth and healing. For those seeking initiation into the Bwiti tradition, a sacred pathway to reconnect with ancestral wisdom, the journey is often marred by the fear of being sexualized or disrespected. Mama Toto’s Village stands as a sanctuary, a rare and precious haven for women to safely embrace their spiritual journeys under the guidance of Kounda Marie. As the last living member of her family and bearer of its spiritual gifts, Kounda Marie dedicates her life to preserving the Maboundi lineage of the Bwiti tradition. Maboundi is an initial rite closely linked to the Bwiti Ngondet na Dipuma. Where one finds a Ngondet, one always finds a Maboundi. The phrase “Combo: Toto Dié Tévo” means, “I am but simple earth; I revolve around everything.” The village is located 15 kilometers from Lambaréné, and its temple, called Minangha, is more precisely situated in Gravier. Maboundi is a path of remembering one’s inherent wholeness through sacred ceremonies and rituals that empower women to reclaim their identity and place within their communities.
Mama Toto’s devotion to her “daughters,” as the women she initiates are called, is legendary. Her village is humble, yet it radiates immense spiritual richness. Despite the challenges, Kounda Marie continues her work with unwavering commitment. The Sacred Roots Foundation seeks to support Mama Toto’s mission by improving the village infrastructure and ensuring the preservation of her sacred work. By contributing to this effort, supporters can help create safe spaces for women to heal and transform while honoring the legacy of resilience, love, and sacred service that Kounda Marie embodies.
Guardians of Maboundi
Contact for Donation
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