Your letters to your daughters. What do you want them to know? What do they need to know? With Namulanta Kombo, winner of the BBC’s International Podcast Competition 2021.
The Dear Daughter podcast is truly a gem that I stumbled upon and feel incredibly blessed to have found. As a mother of two daughters, every letter shared on this podcast resonated deeply with me. It was comforting to know that mothers across the world have similar feelings and experiences. I truly hope there is a season 2 because I haven't even written my letter yet.
What sets this podcast apart is its ability to touch on common themes that anyone can relate to, whether they are a parent or a daughter, whether they already have children or are unsure about it. The program has something for everyone, offering valuable insights and perspectives on life and motherhood. It serves as a reminder that we all share similar hopes, dreams, and struggles.
One aspect of the podcast that particularly struck me was how the letters from different mothers showcased common themes despite their varying backgrounds and cultural contexts. As an American mother, it was fascinating to see the overlap in experiences regardless of geographical location. This universality made the podcast even more relatable and heartwarming.
The guests featured on the show bring incredible stories and perspectives, making each episode thought-provoking and enriching. Listening to their experiences teaches me something new every time and leaves me deep in contemplation. Even though the focus is on daughters, I believe anyone can benefit from listening to this podcast.
Furthermore, I appreciate the mission behind The Dear Daughter podcast - to build a library of letters and life lessons. The idea of preserving these precious words for generations to come is beautiful and inspiring. It's heartening to know that this platform exists for mothers to express their love, share their wisdom, and leave behind invaluable guidance for their daughters.
On a personal level, this podcast has moved me emotionally right from episode 1. As someone who loves writing letters or texts as a means of self-expression, it has inspired me to start journaling again for my own children. The power of words and the potential impact they can have on the lives of our children is truly remarkable.
While it's difficult to find any negatives about this podcast, one minor downside could be the occasional lack of diversity in perspectives. While there are varying stories, experiences, and backgrounds represented, it would be great to hear from more voices that are often marginalized or underrepresented. However, this does not take away from the overall quality and impact of the podcast.
In conclusion, The Dear Daughter podcast is a must-listen for both young and old alike. It prompts us to reflect on what we want our daughters to know or wish we knew growing up. Through introspection and intention, it encourages listeners to lead more meaningful lives and foster deeper connections with their loved ones. Thank you, Namulanta, for creating such a powerful and hopeful piece of art. I eagerly look forward to hearing more episodes and hope that others will be inspired to share their letters as well. This podcast embodies strength, empowerment, and love - qualities that are much needed in today's world.
daily
infrequent
monthly
infrequent
every other week
infrequent
daily
infrequent
weekdays
We're back! Join us weekly from March 1 for the third season of the award-winning BBC World Service podcast Dear Daughter.Namulanta Kombo is putting together a “handbook to life” for her daughter with letters of advice to help her navigate the world ahead, and she needs your help.This season, Namulanta will talk to letter writers from Hong Kong to Copenhagen about everything from body image to blended families to the horrors and joys of pregnancy. Celebrity baker Nadiya Hussain gives Namulanta advice on parenting teenagers, and reveals who does the washing up in her house. Plus, Namulanta's dad comes in to talk about missing out on much of his children's childhoods because he was so busy with work – but making up for lost time with his grandchildren.If you've got something you'd like to tell your daughter (or daughters everywhere) write them a letter, and share it with us. Funny, heartbreaking, awkward, relatable – we want to hear it all.You can send us an email at deardaughter@bbc.co.uk, or a Whatsapp message on +44 800 030 4404 - or you can go to our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter
Other people's children. The mothers who leave their own families behind to care for someone else's. This special episode, from The Documentary, is hosted by Dear Daughter's Namulanta Kombo. She speaks to women from around the world who are in the so-called “global care chain”. The Documentary, from the BBC World Service, is the home of original storytelling – bringing the globe to your ears. News about season 3 of Dear Daughter will be coming here soon.
Disastrous dates and how to make a relationship last. It's our second live show in Nairobi, Kenya. We hear a tale of a truly disastrous date and find out about the tough dating scene in Nairobi. Plus, advice on how to make a relationship last, while holding on to your own identity. Letter writers: Stand-up comedian Maina Murumba and public commentator Daisy Maritim Maina. This is the final episode in season 2. Please send Namulanta your letter. Go to www.bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter and click on “Send us your letters”. #DearDaughter
How to approach dating – tips and laughs from parents in Kenya. Part one of this dating and relationships special, recorded in front of a live audience, explores the highs and lows of dating. Two letter writers tell their daughters that they need to set boundaries, have mutual respect, and not settle for less than they deserve. Letter writers: Tatiana Karanja and Peter Nduati Please send Namulanta your letter. Go to www.bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter and click on “Send us your letters”. #DearDaughter
“Fly the plane”, volunteer and keep asking why. Andy is an airline pilot from Northern Ireland. He tells his son to avoid being thrown off course by life's many distractions, volunteer for everything, and keep asking questions. The final golden rule? Always stand up to inappropriate locker room banter. Plus, Namulanta has a letter for her son too. Letter writer: Andy Please send Namulanta your letter. Go to www.bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter and click on Send us your letters. #DearDaughter
It's a girl! Bucking the trend of wanting a son. Shakti was keen to have a daughter, but explains that in India there's a lot of cultural pressure to have a son. When she was growing up, people were always asking her parents if they were going to try for a boy - making her feel unwanted. Now, Shakti writes to her daughter explaining just how much she is loved. Letter writer: Shakti Please send Namulanta your letter. Go to www.bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter and click on “Send us your letters”. #DearDaughter
A letter to a daughter who doesn't exist yet. Lucia has been trying to get pregnant for three years. She tells Namulanta that she was inspired to be “less discreet” about what she's been going through after listening to a past episode of Dear Daughter – and that since she started talking about it, she's discovered a whole world of other people going through similar experiences. Plus, the one thing you should never say to someone struggling with infertility. Letter writer: Lucia Please send Namulanta your letter. Go to www.bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter and click on “Send us your letters”. #DearDaughter Audio for this episode was updated on 22 May 2023.
Celebrating how kids change as they grow. Claire thinks that nostalgia for babies and small children shouldn't stop you from embracing the next stages in their development. She and her wife have twin daughters who were born prematurely. In those early weeks, they found it hard to see the future. Now the twins are seven, Claire is able to celebrate the different stages of their lives. But she's still learning how best to parent them, and their four-year-old sister, as they continue growing. Letter writer: Claire Please send Namulanta your letter. Go to www.bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter and click on “Send us your letters”. #DearDaughter
Turning into your mother can be a joy and a trial. When Jacinta in Johannesburg became a parent, she found that her perspective on her own mother changed completely. She reads a letter to her young daughters about what they can learn from older generations after realising “the apple doesn't fall far from the tree”. Plus, how to avoid telling your children that they'll only understand things when they get older. Letter writer: Jacinta Please send Namulanta your letter. Go to www.bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter and click on “Send us your letters”. #DearDaughter
The Scummy Mummies on friendship, bullying and embracing the chaos of parenting. Comedians Helen Thorn and Ellie Gibson met when their children were little and started a podcast called the Scummy Mummies. Ten years, a sell-out UK comedy tour and more than 250 episodes later, they join Namulanta to talk about friendship – from getting through the awkward teen years to making friends as an adult. Letter writers: Helen Thorn and Ellie Gibson Please send Namulanta your letter. Go to www.bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter and click on “Send us your letters”. #DearDaughter
How to give advice people will actually listen to. When Anna in Switzerland was younger, her grandmothers used to give her advice – but she dismissed it. She thought they were old-fashioned and didn't understand her life. Now she's a grandmother herself, and when she looks at her granddaughter she can't imagine what the world she will live in will be like. How can she pass on what she's learned about life? Anna and Namulanta discuss how to connect across the generational divide. Letter writer: Anna Please send Namulanta your letter. Go to www.bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter and click on “Send us your letters”. #DearDaughter
The challenges of parenting as a widower. When Ani's daughter was just two years old, his wife was diagnosed with cancer. Her illness dominated their daughter's early years, and she died when the child was six. Ani explains how he's trying to teach his daughter what her mother was like before she became ill. Plus, how a Joe Wicks workout helped the family manage their grief. Letter writer: Ani Please send Namulanta your letter. Go to www.bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter and click on “Send us your letters”. #DearDaughter
Follow your dreams - but remember your roots! Instead of hearing from a letter writer, Namulanta talks to Alejandra about what it meant to receive letters of advice from her grandmother. Her grandma gave her blessing and guidance on moving abroad for a new life. Letter writer: Alejandra's grandmother Maria Please send Namulanta your letter. Go to www.bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter and click on “Send us your letters”. #DearDaughter
Talking to children about money can be awkward, but it's important to start young. Davinia Tomlinson has written a book of money advice for girls called Cash Is Queen. She explains how she talks to her own daughters about money and how the skills she learned in the British financial services industry enabled her to plan a new life closer to her Caribbean roots. Plus, Davinia shares some inspirational advice from her own grandmother. Letter writer: Davinia Tomlinson Please send Namulanta your letter. Go to www.bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter and click on “Send us your letters”. #DearDaughter
Why are women expected to endure pain in silence? Meera grew up in India and has battled multiple illnesses for most of her life. They've impacted her relationships with her mother, her husband and her kids - especially her young daughter. She says: “As a girl I was taught that a woman's strength came from her ability to endure great pain and suffering.” But in a letter to her daughter, Meera insists women shouldn't say “I'm fine” if they're not. Letter writer: Meera Please send Namulanta your letter. Go to www.bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter and click on “Send us your letters”. #DearDaughter
The generosity of others helped Monique rebuild her life. She's gone through more trauma than most, having fled genocide in Rwanda, lived in refugee camps and lost everything in a fire in the US. And yet at every stage she's had the help of strangers. Letter writer: Monique Please send Namulanta your letter. Go to www.bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter and click on “Send us your letters”. #DearDaughter
You don't need to give me a grandchild. Simone promises having children will be up to her daughter. She says in her letter: “Make your own decision.” Simone is from Mozambique and tells Namulanta that society puts a lot of pressure on women to have a baby. Letter writer: Simone Please send Namulanta your letter. Go to www.bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter and click on “Send us your letters”. #DearDaughter
The 'Queen of Letters', Isabel Allende, on writing, processing grief and a full garage. The best-selling author wrote to her late daughter, Paula, when she was in a coma. She then turned the letters into a book. She says writing “allowed me to understand what had happened and deal with it”. Isabel has a garage full of her daily correspondence with her own mother. Her novels include The House of the Spirits, City of the Beasts and Eva Luna. Letter writer: Isabel Allende Please send Namulanta your letter. Go to www.bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter and click on “Send us your letters”. #DearDaughter
Marian's dad left when she was little. Now, she's giving her daughter “the most special gift”. She looks at her husband and daughter playing together and it means so much to her. That is the inspiration for her letter. Season two of Dear Daughter begins with a story of two fathers and two daughters, which starts during the collapse of the Soviet Union. Letter writer: Marian Please send Namulanta your letter. Go to www.bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter and click on “Send us your letters”. #DearDaughter
We're back! Join us weekly from 27 February for the second season of Dear Daughter, winner of Podcast of the Year at the 2022 British Podcast Awards. Namulanta Kombo is collecting more of your letters – funny, moving, thoughtful advice and words of wisdom for daughters everywhere. Namulanta started by writing letters to her own daughter Koko, then asked her friends and family to write to Koko too. Then she won the BBC's first International Podcast Competition, and started collecting letters of advice from all over the world. In season 2 we'll hear letter writers from Moldova to Mozambique talking about love, families, grief, money, friendship - we're creating a handbook to life. But we need your letters! Go to www.bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter to find out more. #DearDaughter
Teenage conflict, pushing boundaries and the unexpected letter. “You won't understand why I seem to like being mean.” Angie writes to her daughter Kira about being the bad cop and not trying to win the nicest mummy competition. Episode 15 letter writer: Angie This is the final episode of the first season of #DearDaughter We hope you have been inspired to write your own letters. Please send them to us and we might be able to include them in future episodes. Go to bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter and click on “Send us your letters”.
Raquel left her children to work abroad, so she could give them a better life. “I still remember the pain.” Her daughter Alyssa shares her feelings about their years apart. Episode 14 letter writer: Raquel Please send Namulanta your letter. Go to www.bbcworldservice/deardaughter and click on “Send us your letter”. #DearDaughter
“Nothing is off limits.” Daisy on how she will talk to her daughter about sex: smashing taboos and overcoming old-fashioned attitudes. Episode 13 letter writer: Daisy Please send Namulanta your letter. Go to www.bbcworldservice/deardaughter and click on “Send us your letter”. #DearDaughter
Deborah writes letters to her daughter Sibby, who was stillborn at 40 weeks. “We were delighted to meet her, even though my heart was broken into a million pieces”. Please be aware that this episode discusses baby loss. If you have been affected by the issues in this episode, there are support charities in many countries or it may help to speak to a medical professional or someone you trust. Episode 12 letter writer: Deborah Send Namulanta your letter. Go to www.bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter and click on “Send us your letter”. #DearDaughter
“Jump off the dumpster of doubt!” Comedian Tumi Morake on challenging her fear of failure, what her daughter can learn from a cockroach, and why she should never feel too afraid to “jump, my baby, jump”. Tumi was the first African woman to have her own Netflix special, and the first woman to present Comedy Central Presents in Africa. She explains why overcoming self-doubt can lead to rewards and adventures. Episode 11 letter writer: Tumi Please send Namulanta your letter. Go to www.bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter and click on “Send us your letter”. #DearDaughter
“Learn something bigger.” Nkule wants her daughter to discover life beyond her home town. It's a story of two cultures colliding and stereotypes crumbling. Nkule's message to her daughter is to meet new people, try new foods and see the world. Episode 10 letter writer: Nkule Please send Namulanta your letter. Go to www.bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter and click on “Send us your letter”. #DearDaughter
“I never want to disappoint someone”. The pitfalls of people-pleasing and not taking risks. Tatiana reflects on the fear of disappointing her parents and the downsides of following the crowd. She hopes her future daughter will be brave enough to take more risks in life. Episode 9 letter writer: Tatiana Please send Namulanta your letter. Go to www.bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter and click on “Send us your letter”. #DearDaughter
The best of both worlds? One new baby and two religions. Mum and dad are trying to figure it out. How will they bring up their daughter? Episode 8 letter writer: Joe Please send Namulanta your letter. Go to www.bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter and click on “Send us your letter”. #DearDaughter
Matchmakers, a fake engagement ring and love; welcome to the marriage game. “They'll wonder, are you good enough for their son? The question is, are they good enough for you?” Episode 7 letter writer: Nashra Please send us your letter. Go to www.bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter and click on “Send us your letter”. #DearDaughter
My mum's letter to me! Namulanta's own mum, Dorcas, is back on the show with a letter to share. She talks with her daughter about self-preservation, mum-guilt and life in colonial, pre-independent Kenya. Episode 6 letter writer: Dorcas Inspired by Dorcas? Please send us your letter. Go to bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter and click on “Send us your letters”. #DearDaughter
An escape by boat, pirates, prejudice and a “strength that lies within”. Charlene's family was among the Vietnamese “boat people”, fleeing in search of a “better life”. Charlene fears her daughter might encounter similar racism to what she faced. She hopes she'll be inspired by the stories of the strong women in her family, like Pah Pah and Ma Ma. Episode 5 letter writer: Charlene Please send us your letter. Go to bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter and click on 'Send us your letters'. #DearDaughter
Robin tries out blue acrylic fingernails. He advises his daughter to “always trust your instincts” and to “be prepared for anything”. He makes self-defence videos for women using skills he learnt in the military. Episode 4 letter writer: Robin. Please send us your letter. Go to bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter and click on 'Send us your letters'. #DearDaughter
Under pressure to tie the knot? Elle says, “Everyone is praying for me to get married.” She grew up thinking marriage was essential, but as she's grown older, she's changed her mind. Episode 3 letter writer: Elle. Please send us your letter. Go to bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter and click on 'Send us your letters'. #DearDaughter
Underwear, razors and teenage angst. The perils of trying to fit in and be noticed. It's a tale of accidental wedgies, stealing (sort of) from dad and attempting to impress the boys. Episode 2 letter writers: Naliaka and Emma. Please send us your letter. Go to bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter and click on “Send us your letters”. #DearDaughter
Three mums, new and old letters - the beginning of a handbook to life. “When I go, my memory is going to go with me”, so it's time to start writing. Episode 1 letter writers: Namulanta and Lisa. Plus, meet Dorcas. This podcast needs you and your letters. Go to bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter and click on “Send us your letters”. #DearDaughter
Funny, heart-breaking, insightful and ultimately honest – help Namulanta create a handbook to life. She won the BBC's International Podcast Competition 2021 and wants to hear your letters. Get in touch at www.bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter Begins on 10 December 2021 #DearDaughter
© 2020-2025 Ivy Podcast Discovery LLC
