A bonus episode of Lives Less Ordinary from the BBC World Service.In 2020, Ellidy Pullin’s life was turned upside down when her partner, Olympic snowboarder Alex ‘Chumpy’ Pullin, died in a tragic accident. The couple had been trying for a baby, so in the deeply disorientating hours after his sudden death, when a friend suggested the possibility of a posthumous sperm retrieval – a complicated, and sometimes controversial procedure whereby sperm samples are taken within 36 hours of a person's death – Ellidy knew instantly that this was something she wanted to pursue. Lives Less Ordinary seeks out the most incredible true stories from around the world. Step into someone else’s life and expect the unexpected. Each episode, a guest shares their most intimate and defining personal stories. Listen for real-life accounts, unbelievable twists, and inspiring journeys, which prove just how extraordinary the human experience can be.For more episodes like this one, search for ‘Lives Less Ordinary’ wherever you get your BBC podcasts.If you have a story to tell, get in touch: [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 0044 330 678 2784
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Divorce is not a dirty word
When Vandana’s marriage ended in divorce, she felt stigmatised and outcast. After a long and turbulent legal process, she ended up retraining as a divorce lawyer and setting up a group for others who felt unable to talk about the breakdown of their marriages.In the process, she found out what was really happening inside the marriages of many Indian women. She’s since remarried and has twin sons but she wants to tell the daughters of India that they have choices, and that no-one needs to stay in a bad marriage.Letter writer: VandanaDear Daughter is an award-winning podcast from the BBC World Service about love, life, family, and raising children. It is the brainchild of Namulanta Kombo, a mother on a quest to create a ‘handbook to life’ for her daughter, through the advice of parents from all over the world.Each episode, a guest reads a letter they’ve written to their children (or their future children, or the children they never had) with the advice, life lessons, and personal stories they’d like to pass on. Expect extraordinary true stories, inspirational advice for parents, and moving accounts of families, relationships and raising daughters.Share your letter! What do you want to say to your kids? Or the next generation? Do you have thoughts on motherhood, fatherhood, or parenthood to share? Whether you are a mum or mom, dad or papa, grandparent, uncle, aunt, daughter, son or just want to write a letter, send us a WhatsApp message on +44 800 030 4404 or visit www.bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter
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26:15
Prison and parenthood
Rahab went to prison when her children were little. She’d been taking part in carjackings and armed robberies. Once she got caught, she spent six years at Langata women’s prison in Nairobi, Kenya. While she was in prison, she managed to turn her life around – but how can she rebuild her relationship with her three children, and make up for the time she missed?Namulanta visits Langata to meet Rahab and finds out what life is like for current inmates who have children.Letter writer: RahabDear Daughter is an award-winning podcast from the BBC World Service about love, life, family, and raising children. It is the brainchild of Namulanta Kombo, a mother on a quest to create a ‘handbook to life’ for her daughter, through the advice of parents from all over the world. Each episode, a guest reads a letter they’ve written to their children (or their future children, or the children they never had) with the advice, life lessons, and personal stories they’d like to pass on. Expect extraordinary true stories, inspirational advice for parents, and moving accounts of families, relationships and raising daughters. Share your letter! What do you want to say to your kids? Or the next generation? Do you have thoughts on motherhood, fatherhood, or parenthood to share? Whether you are a mum or mom, dad or papa, grandparent, uncle, aunt, daughter, son or just want to write a letter, send us a WhatsApp message on +44 800 030 4404 or visit www.bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter
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25:56
The bra fashion show
When Mahynour’s daughter gets her first bra, it’s Mahynour who is the most excited – her little girl is a young lady now.
But it also brings Mahynour’s memories of her own teenage years flooding back. She remembers not wanting to wear a bra – she felt ashamed of the changes in her body, and she didn’t know who to talk to.
How can she make sure her daughter has a better experience? Luckily, her female relatives are on hand to help out…Letter writer: Mahynour
Dear Daughter is an award-winning podcast from the BBC World Service about love, life, family, and raising children. It is the brainchild of Namulanta Kombo, a mother on a quest to create a ‘handbook to life’ for her daughter, through the advice of parents from all over the world. Each episode, a guest reads a letter they’ve written to their children (or their future children, or the children they never had) with the advice, life lessons, and personal stories they’d like to pass on. Expect extraordinary true stories, inspirational advice for parents, and moving accounts of families, relationships and raising daughters.Share your letter! What do you want to say to your kids? Or the next generation? Do you have thoughts on motherhood, fatherhood, or parenthood to share? Whether you are a mum or mom, dad or papa, grandparent, uncle, aunt, daughter, son or just want to write a letter, send us a WhatsApp message on +44 800 030 4404 or visit www.bbcworldservice.com/deardaughterAudio for this episode was updated on 1 May 2025.
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Coming soon: Season 5
Hot on the heels of our Stars season, stand by for Dear Daughter season 5, starting Friday April 25th.Namulanta Kombo is collecting letters of advice from around the world to create a handbook to life for her daughter Koko – and daughters everywhere.This season Namulanta’s been speaking to letter-writers all over the world, from India to Colombia to South Africa. We’ll hear from divorce lawyer Vandana Shah how the end of her marriage led her to retrain as a lawyer, and the advice she always gives to new clients. Listener Paola talks about the grief of losing her daughter aged just 17. Rahab writes to her daughter to apologise for missing out on so much of her childhood because she was in prison at the time. And blogger Malaka Grant tells Namulanta about the lesson she learned when her Pop-pop brought out her first erotic novel over Christmas brunch.Plus we’ll hear letters about some of the big milestones in a daughter’s life. Shelley in Arkansas reads us the letter she slipped into her daughter’s suitcase as she was leaving for college. Azola in South Africa talks about the day his friends threw him a “nappy braai” or dads-only baby shower. And Mahynor in Egypt tells Namulanta about the excitement of buying her daughter her first bra.More brilliant advice, thoughtful conversations, laughter, wisdom and tears – join us for the new season of Dear Daughter from Friday April 25th.And we’d love to hear from you! We’d love to hear your letter for your daughter, or a daughter figure in your life, or your younger self. Email us on [email protected] or go to www.bbc.co.uk/deardaughter to find out more.You can read our privacy notice here:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3ZFHNV8v7qgTm1zbKbkwsvR/dear-daughter-privacy-notice
Extraordinary letters written from parents to their children with Namulanta Kombo. Sharing parenting advice, family stories and life lessons. Dear Daughter is an award-winning podcast from the BBC World Service about love, life, family, and raising children. It is the brainchild of Namulanta Kombo, a mother on a quest to create a ‘handbook to life’ for her daughter, through the advice of parents from all over the world. Each episode, a guest reads a letter they’ve written to their children (or their future children, or the children they never had) with the advice, life lessons, and personal stories they’d like to pass on. Expect unbelievable true stories, inspirational advice for parents, and moving accounts of families, relationships and raising daughters.Share your letter! What do you want to say to your kids? Or the next generation? Do you have thoughts on motherhood, fatherhood, or parenthood to share? Whether you are a mum or mom, dad or papa, grandparent, uncle, aunt, daughter, son or just want to write a letter, send us a Whatsapp message on +44 800 030 4404 or visit bbcworldservice.com/deardaughter.You can read our privacy notice here:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3ZFHNV8v7qgTm1zbKbkwsvR/dear-daughter-privacy-notice
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