Category Queen’s Commonwealth Trust

NYANGA TOWNSHIP: The first stop on the tour was to the township of Nyanga, whose name means ‘moon’ in the local dialect of Xhosa, it is one of the oldest black townships in Cape Town and was established in 1946 as a result of the migrant labor system. At present time unemployment is above 50 per cent and HIV/Aids is a community issue. The community also has the highest murder rate in the country and tops the lists for car jackings and house robberies. Last year there were a reported 308 murders.

In this town The Duke and Duchess visited the Justice Desk initiative, which teaches children about their rights, self-awareness and safety, and provides self-defense classes and female empowerment training to young girls in the community. The Justice Desk is supported by The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust, of which Harry serves as President and Meghan as Vice-President. While there the Duke and Duchess met Jessica Dewhurst, Justice Desk Founder and Queen’s Young Leader, Theodora Luthuli, Justice Desk Community Leader, and Sylvia Hobe, Theodora’s mother and the center’s founder. Harry and Meghan observed the Mbokodo project which provides self-defense classes and female empowerment workshops to young girls who are overcoming major traumas. This project’s powerful motto is “wathint’ abafazi wathint’ imbokodo” which means “you strike a woman; you strike a rock” before getting the chance to talk with the girls.

Following the tour of the center, Harry and Meghan both made fantastic speeches which you can view here. Meghan said in part: “While I am here with my husband as a member of the Royal Family, I am here with you as a mother, as a wife, as a woman, as a woman of color, and as your sister. I am here with you and I am here for you.” The couple were then presented with a South African Xhosa name for their son Archie, “Ntsika” which means pillar of strength which was given to him by the township’s godmothers, referred to as Gogo’s. In a fun spontaneous moment at the end of the engagement Meghan joined in with the women who were dancing upon their departure. I’m sure this moment will be a favorite of many today.

DISTRICT SIX MUSEUM: In their second engagement of the day The Duke and Duchess of Sussex visited the District Six Museum. District Six Museum is located in an old Methodist church in the former inner-city residential area. The District Six Foundation was founded in 1989 and the museum in 1994, as a memorial to the forced movement of 60,000 inhabitants of various races in District Six during Apartheid in South Africa in the 1970s. The Duke and Duchess toured the museum viewing the old traffic signs, exhibits of historical moments and lives of families from the area, historical declarations, exhibits about the demolition, and hand written notes of former inhabitants, which indicate where their houses were located.

After a short walkabout, Harry and Meghan went to the nearby Homecoming Centre where they joined former residents of District Six in a community cooking workshop. The Duke and Duchess were treated to food cooked by local women that showed a variety of recipes. This engagement goes hand in hand with Meghan’s work with the Hubb Kitchen back in London, which showcases the importance of how cooking can bring a community together. It was reported that Meghan did indeed gift the local women a copy of her ‘Together’ cookbook.

GALLERY LINK
Appearances & Engagement Photos > Engagements in 2019 > South Africa Tour > September 23 | South Africa Tour – Day 1 – Set 1
Appearances & Engagement Photos > Engagements in 2019 > South Africa Tour > September 23 | South Africa Tour – Day 1 – Set 2