Love in Translation tells the stories of African-British couples, living in East Africa. Their relationships navigate issues of otherness and assimilation, cultural expectations, and colonial heritage.

Wahida and Paul were both suffering from the breakdowns of their previous marriages when they met five years ago in Arusha, Tanzania. Despite their respective families’ disapprovals, they were married within two weeks with a simple Islamic ceremony. Paul had converted to Islam some years ago in order to marry his former Tanzanian wife. Already with children and grandchildren in Tanzania and England, Paul didn’t plan to be a father again, but four years ago Wahida had his baby. Little Jaima gave them the strength to sustain their turbulent marriage for some years, but they recently separated.

Simon came to Uganda with his mother and her missionary group. He spotted Reen in the pool of a local hotel and hoped that helping her to learn to swim would win her affections. Their first baby was born while Reen was still at university, but she managed to complete her law degree with the support of both sets of grandparents. Simon struggled to find work due to his Asperger's condition, so they recently relocated to Northern England, where Simon is the stay-home-dad to their four kids, and Doreen is working in a Law firm.

Juma, a Ugandan white-water-rafting instructor, met Shaz, a English education professional, when she floated down the nile on his raft. They have won awards as a local pop star duo, with Shaz singing in Juma’s mother tongue of Lusoga. With their relationship on stage and on view, responses have ranged from Ugandan men asking Juma, Can you get me one of them?, to Shaz’s own family assuming that Juma wore tribal dress and lived in a mud hut. Their four year old daughter has just become a big sister.

Alex was recommended to Cat as a reliable boda boda driver (motorbike taxi), when she was new to his home town in Uganda. Every day he drove her to the nursery she was volunteering at. A few weeks later, in stilted English, he asked her on a date and told her he loved her. In the seven years since, they have built a school for kids with special needs and just had their second baby. Alex doesn’t drive the boda boda anymore as Cat feels it's too risky for a dad. While he is the primary parent, she runs the school. 

On completing her degree in African history in London, Kala worked in East Africa for eight years, becoming fluent in Swahili, before meeting her Tanzanian husband, Mathayo. Having turned his father’s small business into a successful construction company, Mathayo now works long hours, with little time for his young family, but his earnings are building them a luxurious new home on the outskirts of Arusha. Kala runs a furniture design business and is mother to their daughter Ora; two step-kids from Mathayo’s previous relationships; and the many and various cousins and neighbours who frequent their popular home.