East and Southern Africa

Highlights from our regions:  East and Southern Africa

By Philile Bhengu, Regional Coordinator

Africa’s civilization is ancient and full of diversity with its unique cultures, languages, and religions varying from country to country. This vast continent contains 54 countries, but I will be focusing only on the East and Southern regions.

There are believed to be 3000 different African Tribes. It is a cultural hub rich in traditions, art, music, literature, and food. In Eastern Africa, the main trading commodities are agricultural products.  Because of the importance of agriculture, there is much devastation for the people of this area when their crops are destroyed by heavy rains or locusts. Women in Eastern Africa spend long hours planting crops and then selling them to support their families. Ethiopia and Uganda lead the Region in coffee exportation, while Kenya is the largest tea exporter. In the Southern countries of Africa, they specialize in precious metals and minerals such as gold and diamonds in South Africa and platinum in Zimbabwe. Angola leads the region in the production of crude oil.

Much of the African population live in rural areas, but urban areas are continuing to grow. Those who can afford it often move with their families to live in the cities. Many areas are challenged by high unemployment rates, teenage pregnancy and poverty. Due to a combination of things such as volcano eruption, violence and terrorists in the Southern region, hunger is an increasing problem. Moreover, some families are struggling these days as their main income earners have died during the COVID 19 pandemic. We find women to be affected the most as they are the ones who are managing homes as widows, single and divorced parents. The women here are disadvantaged in many ways.

That is where TWR Women of Hope comes in to bring hope and healing to the hurting women around the world and across generations. Our programs are transforming women’s lives. TWR Women of Hope supplies organizations on the ground with mp3 players loaded with our Hidden Treasures programs.  After listening to these audio dramas, women have left their lives of prostitution. Women who are suffering with fistula have received emotional and spiritual healing through our Healing Voice audio dramas. Many men and women are encouraged through our Women of Hope programs shared on audio devices or through our online platforms. We are grateful to reach the illiterate listeners with our audio prayer calendars. Women who were exploited, humiliated, raped, violated are receiving restoration. Please join us in prayer as we seek to reach women in all spheres of life by helping them find hope in Jesus!