Nonprofit Enables Reciprocity, Cultural Preservation, and Scholarship Programs in Partnership with Bwiti and Q'ero Lineages
TODOS SANTOS, Mexico, Dec. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Stone West, a pending 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, has officially launched to bridge ancestral wisdom with modern healing practices through reciprocity initiatives, expanded access to care through scholarships, and educational programs.
Founded by the team behind ETÉREO | Center for Truth, Stone West builds on more than a decade of work at the intersection of ancestral plant knowledge and clinical research. The organization emerges amid a rapid expansion of interest in plants with potential clinical and pharmaceutical applications—an evolution that has often advanced without consistent collaboration or acknowledgment of the Indigenous knowledge keepers whose traditions form its foundation.
"Stone West was born from the understanding that reciprocity must be built into the architecture of modern healing," said Paije Alexandra West, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Stone West. "As global interest in plant medicines accelerates, our responsibility is to ensure that the cultures and lineages who have preserved these traditions remain at the center of their continued evolution."
Stone West was established to help close that gap by supporting cultural preservation, ethical partnership, and equitable access to ancestral healing. In collaboration with the Bwiti and Q'ero lineages, the foundation will direct resources toward community-led initiatives, land and lineage protection, and scholarship programs that expand access to safe, lineage-honoring healing experiences.
A core partner in this work is Bwiti Roots, an organization led by lineage holder and facilitator Audrey Jover, dedicated to supporting the preservation of traditional Bwiti knowledge in Gabon and abroad. Together, Stone West and Bwiti Roots are developing programs that fund reforestation efforts, medicine stewardship, and direct community benefit through revenue-sharing and educational exchange.
"True reciprocity begins when both worlds listen," said Audrey Jover, Founder of Bwiti Roots. "Through Stone West, we have the opportunity to strengthen the bridge between Gabonese communities and those engaging with iboga globally — ensuring that respect, transparency, and benefit flow both ways."
"Our focus is on building systems that hold both scientific rigor and cultural respect," added Fletcher Burdick, Co-Founder. "By combining access with accountability, we can help ensure that the growing field of ancestral medicine evolves in a way that benefits everyone it touches."
To mark its launch, Stone West hosted The Unveiling on November 2 in Todos Santos, a gathering honoring the partnership between ancestral lineages and contemporary healing communities. The event featured a ceremony, music, auction, and presentations on the foundation's first reciprocity fund projects and scholarship program.
Through these efforts, Stone West seeks to model a new standard for reciprocity-driven philanthropy within the emerging field of psychedelic and ancestral medicine. The foundation's approach integrates research partnerships, transparent funding models, and direct collaboration with lineage communities to ensure that the benefits of this growing field are shared responsibly.
"Ultimately," West said, "Stone West is about restoring balance between giving and receiving, between science and ceremony."
Stone West invites philanthropic partners, researchers, and aligned organizations to collaborate in advancing this work and expanding access to culturally grounded healing opportunities. The foundation will announce its first reciprocity fund initiatives and scholarship recipients in early 2026.
About Stone West Foundation
Stone West is a pending 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to reciprocity, access, and education at the intersection of ancestral wisdom and modern healing. Through partnerships with the Bwiti and Q'ero lineages, Stone West develops programs that protect land and culture, expand access to care, and fund research exploring the integration of ancestral medicines in safe, ethical contexts. Learn more at www.stone-west.org.
Media Contact
Brad Burge, Stone West, 1 6508636887, [email protected], https://www.stone-west.org
SOURCE Stone West
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