Meghan and Prince Harry met Nigerian charity workers from Save the Children in new pictures from their ‘royal’ trip.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were beaming as they were introduced to two young ambassadors, Maryam, 23, and Purity, 19, in the Nigerian capital of Abuja last week.
Workers from the charity spoke to Harry and Meghan about work tackling issues such as child marriage, gender-based violence, access to education and healthcare and the plight of internally displaced children.
In a clip shared today on the charity’s Instagram, the Sussexes are seen shaking hands with Save the Children staff before sitting down for a chat with the two young ambassadors.
The video was posted just hours after Prince William took to social media to mark a decade of African elephant conservation.
Prince Harry, Megan, Purity and Maryam pose for a photo on the couple’s ‘royal’ trip to Nigeria
Meghan was beaming as she met Save the Children charity workers in Abuja.
The Sussexes shake hands with Save the Children staff in the video shared on Instagram
Prince Harry praised the charity for putting young voices at the forefront of its operation.
Meghan sits down for a chat with Maryam, a 23-year-old youth ambassador for Save the Children.
Prince Harry listens as Save the Children’s youth ambassador Purity speaks about the issues facing Nigeria
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex met Save the Children staff in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, last week.
Harry and Meghan pictured with youth ambassadors Maryam, 23, and Purity, 19, during their visit to Abuja.
In the video, Maryam explains some of the issues facing her country, saying: ‘I started my activism at the age of 14, the same year the Chibok girls were kidnapped. There are so many challenges that boys and girls face here in Nigeria.
‘Child marriage exists. We have one of the highest numbers of out-of-school children. We have one of the highest numbers of children who are not immunized
Prince Harry praised the charity for bringing young people’s voices to the forefront.
He said: “This charity recognizes the importance of having young people’s voices at the forefront, not only as advocates but also as decision makers.”
‘That’s absolutely crucial because you know better than anyone what’s going on and what conversations are taking place.
“But it’s also your future,” Prince Harry added.
Purity added: ‘We won’t stop. Each of us has a role to play: through advocacy, our voices, financial support and volunteering. “We hope to see positive change and a better future for Nigeria.”
Save The Children’s post was titled: “Thank you, Prince Harry and Meghan, for joining us in Nigeria to learn more about how we ensure children not only survive but thrive.”
‘The Duke and Duchess of Sussex met with our Youth Ambassadors Maryam and Purity, who are tireless advocates for children’s rights and the heart of our work.
‘Children in Nigeria face enormous challenges: one in ten dies before their fifth birthday.
‘Three out of ten girls are married before the age of 18. Nigeria also has one of the highest rates of unvaccinated children, but young people are working hard alongside Save the Children to fight for a better future.
Prince William took to social media to congratulate the Elephant Protection Initiative on its 10th anniversary.
“We have also partnered with GSK to develop new immunization programs, as well as a fund to support local organizations and innovators and child-led advocacy.”
The video was released just hours after Prince William also took to social media to discuss African issues, while congratulating the Elephant Protection Initiative for its 10 years of conserving African elephants.
He said: ‘I am delighted to congratulate the Elephant Protection Initiative on the fantastic progress it has made in its first decade, making a significant contribution to conservation efforts across Africa.
‘When the EPI was launched in 2014, it was inspiring to see five African leaders come together in response to the challenge of ivory poaching. They decided that enough was enough and that protecting their elephants was a challenge they would face together.
‘Ten years later, EPI membership has increased from those initial five countries to 24. And in that time, many of EPI’s original objectives have been achieved.
‘International ivory trade remains under a moratorium with many African countries closing their domestic ivory markets along with Canada, China, the EU, the UK, Singapore and New Zealand.
‘African countries have taken significant measures for ivory security and management and, in some cases, destroyed their stockpiles.
“While there is no reason for complacency, poaching continues in some areas and demand for ivory still exists, but there is no doubt that we are in a better place than a decade ago.”