Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would have such a wonderful day on International Women’s Day 2026.

What a blessing! My childhood friend Sheila, whom I had not heard from for over 60 years, reconnected with me. She wanted to see me and told her son. He sent me her telephone number. I tried several times and finally got hold of her through the landline. I will always remember what her granddaughter, who picked up the phone, said: “She walks like a tortoise, you will have to wait a bit.” I did not mind waiting.

We talked and decided that we should meet. This was at the end of last year. I sent her several WhatsApp messages but received no reply. I thought she must be as bad as I am with IT.

Two days before International Women’s Day, she sent me a WhatsApp. Alhamdulillah! Alleluia! She said she would make arrangements so that we could go to her son’s place in the south of Mauritius.

I went to her house. She was still in her nightie and walking very slowly (as her granddaughter had rightly said), but she took me to the living room. I had tears in my eyes as soon as I saw her. “I would have recognised you anywhere in the world,” I told her.

She is a very fragile lady, but she still has the same contagious smile. Her daughter prepared some lunch while my friend went to have her shower. We had lunch together and talked non-stop.

■ Loga and Sheila. After six decades, two friends meet again.

In his editorial of the 8th of March, Nad Sivaramen rightly wrote: “Dans un monde véritablement juste, il n’y aurait point de Journée internationale des droits des femmes.”

Yes, indeed. But we are thankful to all the women who have helped free us from the grip of those in power and from patriarchy. Yet, there are hundreds of women like my friend Sheila whose voices we do not hear, and who could nonetheless be role models. Stories in the media on this memorable day often focus on gender-based violence, femicide – a new curse in Mauritius – and other forms of violence against women.

Women have indeed played a crucial role in shaping the history,culture and social landscape of Mauritius, often overcoming significant barriers to fight for labour rights, political representation and equality. To name just a few: Anjalay Coopen, a key figure in the 1943 sugar estate strikes, who was pregnant when she was shot by the police. Marie-Louise Émilienne Rochecouste, the first woman elected to the Legislative Council. Radha Poonoosamy, the first female minister in 1975. Ms Isaac Damoo, the first female municipal councillor. They have been torchbearers for women.

In a coma for several weeks

But coming back to my childhood friend Sheila makes me reflect on the strength and resilience of women. Fourteen years ago, Sheila lost her husband in a car accident. She was badly injured and her family thought she would not survive. She was in a coma for several weeks. After that, she was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit, where she remained for 20 days. She eventually returned home in a wheelchair. It was only then that her son told her that her husband had died in the accident. Soon after, she lost her elder sister, Vijay. She attended the funeral in her wheelchair, not fully understanding what was happening. Some time later, she lost her youngest sister, Vina, who lived in London. Both sisters had been by her side when she was in a coma. They are now gone, while she is still here with us.

Meeting her on this 8th of March made me reflect once again on the quiet resilience of women. Sheila has endured loss, pain and years of uncertainty, yet she is now slowly reclaiming her life. She wants to enjoy what time has given back to her. Before we left, she said softly: “I regret that I am not as independent as you.” I held her hand and replied: “I have not been through what you went through. Your courage is far greater than my independence. And I promise we will meet again.”

That afternoon reminded me that the strength of women is not always found in headlines or speeches. Sometimes, it lives quietly in ordinary lives – in survival, in dignity, in the simple determination to keep going.

On this International Women’s Day, my friend Sheila is one of those women. And her story, like that of so many others, deserves to be told.