By Rachel Kramer | CPALI Executive Director
Your gifts this year have meant the world to us!
In Madagascar, the new year is a time of celebration, feasting, and reflection. On behalf of all our sister farmers and artisans in Madagascar, we want to say how grateful we are for your support in 2024! This year, we've helped transform lives, restore nature, and advance arts and culture together through wild silk and raffia. We're proudly celebrating the following impact:
Poverty alleviation: Eighteen local artisans and staff earned a fair income in 2024, of whom 10 are single mothers. Three artisans had a child complete secondary education–an impressive accomplishment in this remote region and an important step toward generational poverty alleviation. Farmer earnings from wild silk and raffia harvests were sufficient to pay school fees for an estimated 370 children.
Nature conservation: Two collaborative initiatives launched this year that will help strengthen and increase the sustainability of our wild silk and raffia supply chains: a farmer-led agroforestry program and an invasive plant-fueled biochar program. Under these, 8,000 seedlings were planted in biodegradable pots in two village-based tree nurseries, with plans to plant an additional 32,000 seedlings in 2025. Our local sister team collaborated with 30 farmers and delivered training in agroforestry and biochar production to 16 village-based leaders. Six biochar stoves were built that run on invasive plants instead of forest-depleting firewood and charcoal, and minimize smoke inhalation by design. These improved stoves are being used to fuel low-footprint dye baths for wild silk cocoons and raffia.
Arts and culture: Under our nature-based social enterprise, Tanana Madagascar (tananasilk.com), 2,900 locally produced Fair Trade & Certified Wildlife Friendly items were sold to national and global buyers. 100% of revenue from these sales supported our artisan and farmer programs. Our artisans’ textiles were exhibited at 3 shows and 1 gallery in the United States, including the 2024 Future Fabrics Expo in Manhattan, alongside other exciting emerging sustainable materials!
Without supporters like you, none of this would be possible! Thank you for being a treasured member of our circle. We look forward to all we’ll accomplish together in the year ahead.
With gratitude,
The CPALI & SEPALI Madagascar Teams
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