Women, and mothers in particular, play a key role in helping communities around Mount Tshiaberimu thrive. And nothing illustrates their importance quite like Sagot, or Solidarity of Friends of Mountain Gorillas Tshiaberimu.

Founded in 2005, this is a network of several grassroots development associations, among them Integration of Women in Development (IFED) and the Association of Legionnaires’ Mothers for Development.

Sagot works to establish and support small-scale community initiatives, such as setting up nurseries where vegetables and fruit trees can be grown, teaching women the importance of sustainable agriculture and educating children how to respect the forests, home of the endangered mountain gorillas.

To mark International Women’s Day 2011, we helped to organise the annual Mukokya Parade – named after one of the mountain gorillas living here at Mount Tshiaberimu – with dozens of mothers dressing up and taking part in a march from the Gorilla Organization’s resource centre.

Here are some photos from this year’s Mukokya Parade. Check out the colourful Gorilla Organization uniforms some of the ladies are wearing!