For many migrant women, moving to a new country isn’t just about adapting to a different culture—it’s about redefining self-worth, beauty, and relationships in an unfamiliar society. In this episode of Our Story, Your Voice, hosts Judith Nyanjowa, Agatha Phiri, and Ruth Mbera dive into the evolving expectations that migrant women face when it comes to beauty standards and relationships in the UK.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

🔹 Shifting beauty ideals - how Western beauty standards impact self-image and cultural identity.
🔹 Love and relationships in a new country - navigating different cultural expectations in dating, marriage, and partnerships.
🔹 Balancing tradition vs. modern expectations - how migrant women juggle the values of their home countries with the realities of their new environment.
🔹 The pressure to conform - the impact of social media, racial biases, and societal norms on how migrant women see themselves.
🔹 Finding empowerment - celebrating diversity, redefining beauty, and building confidence in a world that often demands change.

This thought-provoking and relatable discussion explores the challenges, stereotypes, and evolving identities that migrant women experience as they navigate beauty and relationships in the UK.

🎧 Join us for a candid conversation about self-acceptance, cultural expectations, and the journey to embracing one’s true self in a new land.

Parenting is already a journey filled with challenges, but for asylum seekers and immigrants, raising children in a new country comes with added struggles of cultural adaptation, systemic barriers, and social isolation. In this episode of Our Story, Your Voice, hosts Judith Nyanjowa and Lillian Musiitwa are joined by Karen Savile, a social worker for SAWN, to discuss the unique difficulties faced by migrant parents.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

🔹 Parenting in unfamiliar territory - how adjusting to a new country, language, and social norms affects raising children.
🔹 Navigating cultural differences - balancing traditional parenting values with Western societal expectations.
🔹 The education system - understanding schooling in the UK and supporting children’s learning while adapting to a different structure.
🔹 Systemic challenges - dealing with racism, legal restrictions, and lack of access to services as an asylum-seeking parent.
🔹 The emotional toll - how the stress of immigration status, financial struggles, and social isolation impacts parenting.
🔹 Support systems & resources - how organisations like SAWN help parents build community and access necessary support.

From discipline and cultural identity to mental health and access to services, this episode provides a much-needed discussion on the realities of migrant parenting, one filled with both struggles and resilience.

🎧 Tune in for an eye-opening conversation on what it truly means to parent while navigating the asylum system and the challenges of a new life in a foreign land.

Losing a loved one is never easy, but for Africans in the diaspora, grief comes with unique cultural, emotional, and logistical challenges. In this deeply personal episode of Our Story, Your Voice, hosts Judith Nyanjowa, Lilian Musiitwa, and Rose Ssali explore how African migrant communities navigate bereavement in a foreign land, far from the traditions and support systems of home.

The conversation is particularly poignant following the recent loss of a dear sister in the community, Rose Kabera Tariwale, whose life and contributions are honoured throughout the episode.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

🔹 The loneliness of grief in the diaspora - how mourning differs without the extended family and community support often found back home.
🔹 Cultural expectations vs. Western reality - the struggle to adapt traditional African mourning rituals to a fast-paced, individualistic society.
🔹 Financial and legal hurdles - the complexities of repatriation, funeral costs, and the emotional toll of not being able to travel for last goodbyes.
🔹 The trauma of unresolved grief - how COVID-19 restrictions and immigration status can make bereavement even harder.
🔹 The importance of community - why grassroots networks like SAWN (Support and Action for Women’s Network) play a crucial role in helping migrants cope with loss.
🔹 Breaking the silence on death - how normalising conversations about end-of-life planning can ease the burden on grieving families.

Through personal stories and shared wisdom, this episode creates a safe space for an open and honest conversation about loss, resilience, and the importance of honouring our traditions while adapting to new realities.

🎧 Tune in for an emotional and insightful discussion on what it means to grieve as an African in the diaspora, and how we find healing, even when home feels far away.