"Madam, we are in the business of saving lives, not taking them."

The general agreement among Ugandans I had spoken to before my trip to Uganda several years ago was that traditional healing was not a beneficent practice. There were rumours that lives were sacrificed and children abducted to gain health and abundance on the advice of traditional healers. That sounded like dark magic to me, not traditional healing. 

I interview Dr. J.B. Karim Musaasizi, Secretary General of the National Council of Traditional Healers and Herbalists Associations, Kampala and asked him about these rumours and his traditional healers at Jubilee Park, Kampala.

"Madam, we are in the business of saving lives, not taking them." 

He meant it.

After an hour with the Secretary General and a tour around the grounds that included interviews and ceremony with three traditional healers, I and my Ugandan tour guides were convinced that good was being done in the name of health and well-being through traditional healing.

We at Brain Tree Primary School have saved children's lives over the years, and now are trying to save tradition. Traditional healing will be represented in the Cultural Center.


Dr. Musaasizi will be pleased.