International Women's Day, March 8th, is cause for widespread celebration in the communities of northeastern Madagascar that SEPALIM and the Ta'na'na Silk project calls home. The women of the community are featured in large, jubilant parades filled with music and laughter, followed by communal meals. Women spend the day drinking and dancing while their husbands prepare special food for them. There is an unmistakable feeling of joy and appreciation in the air. 

This year, the annual parade in Maroantsetra has been postponed until October in the hopes that the threat of COVID will have diminished by then. Instead, each SEPALI women's group will organize their own celebration and at the end of the day, all will come together for a small dinner. A dinner that, of course, will be prepared by the men- not even COVID can shake that tradition! Even in the face of the persisting pandemic, the women of SEPALIM will celebrate and be celebrated on March 8th.

Take a peek at the video above for some snapshots from previous years' celebrations!