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Rules and Safety in our village

Personal Freedom and Respect

  • Embrace the freedom of being closer to nature. It is recommended to swim without clothing in areas away from the main street for a liberating experience.
  • Within the privacy of our buildings, you may choose to wear as little as you prefer. However, we ask that you respect our local customs by dressing appropriately when outside in the village.

Health and Safety

  • Our retreat is a sanctuary for personal growth and healing; thus, intimate relations are discouraged to maintain the sanctity of this space and to keep your energy aligned with iboga.
  • For the well-being of all, the consumption or possession of narcotics is strictly prohibited. Also ALL supplements are prohibited. The only exception is anti-malaria medication and pro-biotics, but do not take it 36 hours prior to the main ceremony and 36 hours after the ceremony (3 days)
  • If you join during the wet season, protect yourself from the furus (local biting midges) by remaining within mosquito-protected zones during critical hours: one hour before and after both sunrise and sunset.
  • At night, we strongly advise staying in areas safeguarded by extensive mosquito netting to ensure a restful sleep. Again this is for the wet season.
  • Be careful of damaging or taking any plants, seeds, fruits or insects from the jungle as the rainforest is a unique & very fragile ecosystem where everything is interdependent + it might bite you back!

“For your own safety and the safety of others it is imperative that you give your body sufficient time to purge street drugs and certain medications, including ALL supplements from your system.
We cannot stress how important this is to guarantee your safety and the safety of others.”


Exploration and Communication

  • The lush rainforest that embraces our village is open for you to explore. Please inform a member of our community before embarking on your journey so we can ensure your safety.
  • During initiation rituals, it is crucial to stay within the village boundaries for your protection and to respect the process. Should you wish to visit the river, a guide will accompany you to ensure your safety, especially under the subtle yet profound influence of iboga.

Dietary Needs and Personal Care

  • Communicate any dietary restrictions to us through WhatsApp so we can cater to your needs with care and consideration.
  • A designated area next to the shower is provided for laundry. Please place your garments in the washing machine room. Clean clothes will be hung behind the main house for you to collect once dry.

Health and Emergency Preparedness

  • A well-equipped medical emergency kit is available in the kitchen, complete with bandages and essential supplies.
  • In the event of malaria concerns, we provide Malacure medication as a precautionary measure.

Our village is more than just a place; it's a living, breathing community deeply connected to the rhythms of nature and the ancestral wisdom of Gabon. By following these guidelines, you contribute to the harmony and wellbeing of both the community and the surrounding natural world. We thank you for your understanding and cooperation and look forward to sharing the beauty and tranquility of our village with you.

Iboga Medical Guidelines, Safety and Our Screening Process

Prior to being accepted into our Iboga retreat led by Mama Aline in Gabon, you will need to complete a detailed psychological and physical health questionnaire. Sacred plant medicines, such as Iboga, are not universally suitable, making it critical that you provide honest responses during the screening process. This ensures we can uphold your safety throughout the retreat. Be assured, your information will be treated with the utmost confidentiality, used solely to evaluate your application and determine your compatibility with this spiritual journey. The objective is to offer you the safest and most suitable experience. Our medical screening procedure is designed with insights from leading ethnobotanical education and research organizations.

Your eligibility for our retreats depends on your mental and physical health status. The medical screening questionnaire is your opportunity to be transparent about any existing or previous health conditions that might affect your safety or that of others during the retreat. By deciding to participate, you acknowledge the personal responsibility for your well-being. While we are committed to ensuring a secure environment for all participants, we cannot be held liable for any accidents or injuries that may occur during your stay.

We strongly advise all participants to consult healthcare professionals before traveling to Gabon. This includes seeking advice on necessary travel vaccinations.

"It's crucial to understand that our screening process aims to confirm your good physical and mental health, as well as your awareness of the risks associated with sacred plant medicine healing. Not everyone is suited for plant medicine healing, and that's perfectly fine. Our priority is to ensure that the plant medicine is right for you, which should not be confused with the idea of being unsuitable for the plant medicine."


Is Iboga Safe?


Iboga is an exceptionally potent medicine, deserving of deep respect and consideration. For the majority, it is safe to use and can offer profound spiritual and psychological insights. Common "adverse effects" reported include nausea and psychological discomfort, which are often seen as part of the cleansing process essential for Iboga's deeper healing effects.

Nonetheless, it's important to be mindful of certain physical and psychological risks that might indicate Iboga is not the right plant medicine for you at this moment.

Physical Risks

  • If you are diabetic, having heart or liver issues or are in bad physical shape, iboga in not the right plant medicine for you.
  • Potential interaction of Iboga with medications, particularly those affecting the cardiovascular system, and psychological system requires careful consideration and professional advice.

Psychological Risks

  • Experiencing intense psychological reactions is possible, and the intention behind the session, along with the setting, facilitators, and the guidance of Mama Aline, can significantly aid in navigating these experiences.
  • Temporary feelings of fear or anxiety due to Iboga's powerful effects, which should diminish as the effects wear off.
  • The risk of confronting deep-seated traumas can be challenging, especially in an environment where French is the main language and the jungle is sharing its insects with you.

General Safety in Gabon

When you get out of the airplane in Libreville during the wet season, protect yourself from mosquitoes. So use anti-mosquito clothe and use DEET. Long socks from insectShield are very good as well as their clothing. Do not use the other anti-mosquito spray as they do not work in Gabon.

Now it is impossible to protect yourself 100% so you can get bitten occasionally, so use prophylactic medication such as Malaron. Other medicine like pure artemicinin is not so good in combination with iboga. During the dry season (midjuly - end august) this is less of a problem as almost no mosquitoes.

If you want to go the extra mile, you can order BinaxNOW Malaria, from Abbott. This is a malaria testing kit that tests for all 4 types of malaria parasites. Binax

When you arrive at the Libreville airport and receive your passport, make sure the VISA you get covers the entire period of your stay in Gabon.

Always carry your passport and yellow fever vaccination card with you when you travel outside our village. In Gabon the local law requires you to carry it on the road.

Avoid illegal drugs due to severe penalties.

Be cautious with photography, especially around sensitive areas like military sites and government buildings.
Trading in endangered wildlife products like rhino horn and ivory is illegal without a license.

Same-sex relationships aren't recognised, and public displays of affection could lead to legal issues under certain laws.

Violent crimes, notably in Libreville and Port Gentil, do exist, but mostly at night. These crimes range from robberies to armed assaults. If you plan to go there, to mitigate risks, it is advisable to avoid walking alone or during nighttime hours and to steer clear of isolated locations, including beaches, where the likelihood of encountering such dangers is higher.
Petty crimes like pickpocketing, bag snatching, and vehicle break-ins are also prevalent in Libreville and Port Gentil. Keeping valuables concealed and being mindful of personal belongings in crowded areas can help in avoiding such incidents. Again, our place is very safe and we have encountered no problems.

The rainy seasons in Gabon bring about flooding, making some roads challenging to navigate. The road to us does not require a 4WD and is generally safe to travel on. Be sure to use a good driver such as from Medzime Assock, as renting a car yourself or using public transport is not recommended.

Health

Traveling to regions with prevalent insect-borne diseases like yellow fever and malaria necessitates good preparation.
Only use DEET, the other repellents do not work. DEET only works for 2 hours on the furu's. For pregnant travelers, the risk of Zika virus in Gabon means consulting a doctor before any travel plans.

Also use Malaron to protect you from getting malaria. Take it a couple of days prior to arriving in Gabon and keep taking it until you are back home. For the ceremony, you cannot take prophylactic medication 36 hours prior and 36 hours after the last iboga serving. Meaning you will not take it for 3 days. This should still keep you safe as long as you start taking it again in the morning of the second day after the ceremony. During the rebirth, you can keep taking it.

With HIV/AIDS being common, exercising caution during high-risk activities is crucial.

To avoid foodborne, waterborne, and other infectious diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and hepatitis, stick to our UV filtered water and steer clear of raw or undercooked foods. Now our village has clean healthy drinkable water including the showers. We have a 4 level waterfilter including a strong UV light filter. But outside our village that is a different story. Now in the major cities in Gabon they offer adequate medical facilities, rural areas are less equipped, highlighting the importance of travel insurance that covers medical evacuation for serious health issues.

We have 10 extra large mosquito nets (3 by 4 meters) covering each sleeping quarters. In the project area, under anti-mosquito projects you can see what we do and are planning on doing to keep the area clear of mosquitoes.

But we do have vector borne insects in Gabon. Below you see a list of them, but the snails are not in our village, and also almost no tsetse flies.

  • Mosquito
    Malaria is caused by five species of the Plasmodium parasite: Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium malariae, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium ovale, and Plasmodium knowlesi. P. falciparum can lead to severe illness, including liver and kidney failure, while infections with P. vivax and P. ovale are generally less serious but can remain dormant in the liver for months or years, causing symptoms to reappear later
  • Tsetse Fly
    Sleeping sickness, transmitted by the tsetse fly in Gabon has an infection rate of 1 in 100.000, so very rare, but not zero. So know the symptoms. It comes in two forms: T.b. gambiense (chronic) and T.b. rhodesiense (acute). Symptoms start with fever, fatigue, skin sores and joint pains, progressing to neurological issues like coordination issues and sleep disruptions. Untreated, it's very dangerous long term, but treatable with early diagnosis. Ivermectin does not work. Normally Pentamidine or Suramin is used.
  • Bulinus truncatus Snail
    Bulinus truncatus, a freshwater snail, is an intermediate host for Schistosoma haematobium, causing urinary schistosomiasis in Gabon. Now we do not have these snails in our village but Gabon does have them. So be careful in still natural waters. Humans get infected by skin contact with water contaminated by the parasite's larvae. Symptoms include hematuria (blood in urine), frequent and painful urination, and can escalate to bladder damage, kidney failure, and increased risk of bladder cancer. Early detection and treatment are vital to prevent serious health complications.
Furu

⚠️ Furu – Biting Midges in Gabon

Furu is the local Gabonese name for small biting midges (genus Culicoides grahamii), common in humid, grassy areas near water. They are most active at dawn and dusk.


🩸 Biting Behavior

  • Only females bite to obtain blood for egg development.
  • Bites are quick, sharp, and often leave itchy red welts.
  • They pierce the skin with needle-like mouthparts, injecting irritating saliva.

🚫 Disease Transmission

  • Furu do not transmit diseases to humans in Gabon.
  • However, they can affect livestock (e.g. bluetongue in sheep).

🔄 Life Cycle

  • Eggs are laid in moist soil, muddy grass, or near standing water.
  • Larvae feed on decaying matter in wet environments.
  • The full cycle takes 2–6 weeks, depending on moisture and temperature.

🌍 Where Furu Are Found

  • Common in tropical areas like Gabon with high humidity and water-rich environments.
  • Thrive in grassy zones with poor drainage, near ponds, marshes, or water tanks.

✅ How to Reduce Furu Without Removing Grass or Water

  • We are in the process of using BTI (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis) to wet soil and water edges – kills larvae safely. Also it will not harm the chickens nor will it harm the foodchain including us eating the chickens. This has been extensively studied.
  • We use fine mosquito netting (mesh < 0.5 mm) for sleeping and seating areas.
  • Apply skin repellents (DEET) during dawn and dusk. Only works for about 2 hours.
  • We use a CO₂ trap to disrupt their flight around people.

Note: Furu are annoying but not dangerous. Having said that, it is very difficult to get rid of them during the wet season.