A Tanzanian mother who for decades walked 10 hours each night to fetch water for her family, will feature on this week’s BBC Songs of Praise programme (17 April, 5.00pm, BBC1).
Joyce Mbwilo, from Uhambingeto village, tells Songs of Praise presenter Sally Magnusson, who last month travelled out to meet her, just what life is like for the 1.2 billion people who lack access to clean water. She tells Sally how she used to wake up at midnight returning at 10am the following morning.
Photo: Caroline Irby/Tearfund
Sally Magnusson also visits Gleneagles, Scotland, the venue for the July meeting of the G8 group of richest nations, as well as talking to local church volunteers from Tearfund in Auchterarder, near to Gleneagles, who are praying and campaigning for G8 leaders to make decisions to help ‘make poverty history’. The programme features Aberdeen University Chapel Choir and singer Eddie Reader.
Joyce Mbwilo tells her story to BBC Songs of Praise.
Sally Magnusson says of her encounter with Joyce: “It was a privilege to meet Joyce and her family. It was an occasion I will remember for a long time. She has one of those faces which lights up and radiates such warmth.”
Sally Magnusson continues: “But Joyce did not pull any punches in our conversation. Her life is extraordinarily hard, and the future she dreams of for her children depends squarely on us. I went away conscious of how much there is to be done, but also of how even quite small practical gestures of support in this country can make a difference to the lives of people like Joyce.”
David Strachan, Songs of Praise producer says: “We hope the programme will show the real change that has been achieved in one village in Tanzania as a result of partnership between Tearfund and local churches, and also as a result of debt cancellation.
“The programme also looks at the commitment of Christians in the UK to the Make Poverty History campaign through the work of the local congregation and in the passionate singing of the community which gathered for the recording of Songs of Praise.”
Joyce and others in her village used to have to walk for 10 hours a night to collect water.