Article supplied by Trans World Radio Africa
From brokenness to new life; TWR brings hope to women in Tanzania & Zanzibar
She lives in Zanzibar, an archipelago of Tanzania described in tourism brochures as a tropical paradise. But for Paulina, it was anything but that. Raised in poverty on the Tanzanian mainland, she moved to Zanzibar to work as a domestic servant, hoping for a better life. Instead, her life became harder. She fell into the hands of people who mistreated and abused her. She moved in with a man, hoping they would eventually marry, while wearing a hijab to pacify him. The local population in Zanzibar is 95% muslim. He fathered her son, but then abandoned them without offering support.
A caring encounter
That was when the Women of Hope prayer leader in the resort town of Kiwengwa encountered Paulina. Soon, she was receiving loving care and was given the opportunity to support herself by selling soup in the community. Today, Paulina is part of a church and participates in prayer programmes there. She is also encouraged by TWR’s Women of Hope programmes, which she listens to on one of 230 audio devices recently distributed by coordinators and volunteers on the Tanzanian mainland and its islands.
Hope on the airwaves
For more than 11 years, Women of Hope has aired messages of hope, encouragement, and Biblical teaching from various mainland stations in Tanzania. In some areas, radios are scarce, and a single radio might be shared by a group of women who come together to listen, says Sphiwe. The message is not welcome everywhere. The mainland supports a mixture of Christian, Islamic, and traditional beliefs.
Reaching people safely
In Zanzibar, which includes Pemba Island, the use of radios and audio devices allows people to listen privately and safely, “and this enables the messages to reach more people in a respectful way,” Nxumalo-Ngwenya said. The distributions, led by Nxumalo-Ngwenya and Tanzania national coordinator Joyce Malima, with teams from Tanzania and Botswana, took place late last year and earlier this year.
Valuable lessons
For example, a woman who lives in Zanzibar and belongs to another faith often overhears a group in her neighbourhood listening to Women of Hope programmes. Although she does not join them, she borrows an audio device from the group’s leader so that she can listen to the programme at home. “Even though these programmes are not from my religion, they are full of valuable lessons and very attractive in their teaching and music,” she said. “I would like to continue listening so that I can learn more.”
Quietly listening
Umi, a young woman also from a different faith, lives on Pemba, close to Sara, an intercessor in the Women of Hope ministry. Sara likes to invite Umi to prayer sessions. Umi often comes and watches quietly. But when radios were distributed, Umi asked for one of her own. “She now listens to the radio programmes and gives feedback to Sara, saying that they have helped her learn many things she did not know about God and about life,” Nxumalo-Ngwenya reported. “She realises that the Christian faith has good teachings, different from what she had previously understood.”
Not just women
As in other places, even men rank among the fans of Women of Hope. The team gifted an audio device to a young man who had previously received one for his friends. “This allows them to listen together when they are at home or when they go to the fields to tend their cattle,” Nxumalo-Ngwenya explained. “The programme contains many valuable life lessons that are useful for everyone.”
Listening together
“Radio signals for the Women of Hope programmes do not reach all areas,” explained Sphiwe E. Nxumalo-Ngwenya, Africa coordinator for TWR Women of Hope. “By providing audio devices, women can listen either individually or in small groups. When they listen together, they are able to discuss what they hear, share ideas, and encourage each other.”
A journey towards healing
In 2026, Women of Hope in Africa is working on a new programme with support from European partners, Nxumalo-Ngwenya said. Named Hagar’s Journey, it will be available on audio devices only. The 10-week programme is designed for women’s groups meeting in safe spaces. Training will be provided for leaders. The programme was developed to meet an often-expressed need. “Audience response indicates that women are still subjected to significant amounts of traumatic experiences,” Nxumalo-Ngwenya said. As for Paulina, she has finally found real hope, which displaced her despair.
“She told us that when the group is not meeting, she uses the device to listen while working,” Nxumalo-Ngwenya said, “and she has found new joy and hope through these programmes!”
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Date published: 10/07/2026
Feature image: Provided by TWR Africa
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