Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been known to give back over the course of their careers, with the couple having supported various charities and initiatives again this year
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have attracted attention through their charity work over the years, with them having supported and promoted a number of different causes.
This has included spending time on the ground, providing financial support and raising awareness. Harry, 39, and Meghan, 42, have experience as charity patrons, with the Duke of Sussex’s patronages including the Invictus Games Foundation, which supports veterans and armed services personnel. He is also the a patron and co-founder of Sentebale, which supports young people in various circumstances in Lesotho.
Meghan is understood to have supported charities tackling poverty and racism, for example. Her patronages include SmartWorks, which provides “marginalised women” with support and resources related to employment. And over the last year, the couple have further supported charities, including related to education. Prince Harry and Meghan have also launched more philanthropic initiatives through their organisation the Archewell Foundation (AWF). Here, we’ve taken a look at some of their charitable acts and efforts from 2023.
Troop 6000
Meghan Markle (left) and Prince Harry (right) have been involved with charity work over the years (
Image:
Getty Images)
The AWF celebrated International Day of the Girl in October by supporting Troop 6000. It’s been described as a “first-of-its-kind programme designed to serve families living in temporary housing in the New York City shelter system.”
For the occasion, the AWF was “thrilled to join the girls and their troop leaders for dinner and provide a donation of scarves, beanies, and tote bags.” It’s unclear if Meghan was present, though she’s said to have shared a message with members of the Girl Scouts of Greater New York’s Troop.
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The GEANCO Foundation
The couple have supported various causes this year through the Archewell Foundation (
Image:
Getty Images for 2022 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope Gala)
Prince Harry and Meghan’s organisation worked with the GEANCO Foundation in September. It’s said to provide healthcare and education services in Nigeria, including scholarships for victims of terrorism and gender inequality.
The AWF said at the time that it had marked the start of the new school term by providing support. The organisation said it had sent “school supplies and menstrual products to young scholars” in the country through the foundation.
LA Waterkeeper
The Archewell Foundation celebrated Earth Day by helping a charity (
Image:
AFP via Getty Images)
The AWF marked Earth Day in April by teaming up with the nonprofit organisation LA Waterkeeper. It “safeguards water resources, combat pollution, and foster a genuinely sustainable and equitable future” in Los Angeles, California.
It’s unclear if Prince Harry and Meghan directly contributed, though their foundation “participated in a cleanup of the LA River”. Their team are said to have joined LA Waterkeeper and “spent the morning supporting these water warriors”.
Harvest Home
The Duchess of Sussex helped to create a pop-up boutique (
Image:
Getty Images for Project Healthy)DON’T MISS
International Women’s Day in March saw the AWF support non-profit organisation Harvest Home. The latter states on its website that it “transforms the lives of homeless pregnant women and their children by providing housing, support, and programs that equip women to become great mothers.”
Meghan and the AWF team are said to marked the occasion this year by creating a pop-up boutique, which included “baby essentials” and health products. They are also said to have hosted lunch from a restaurant and made a donation.
The Welcome Project
This has included them looking into mental health and social media through the foundation (
Image:
Getty Images for Project Healthy)
The AWF recently shared that it launched a new initiative, the Welcome Project, this year. It’s said to support “women-led programming for recently resettled Afghan women to help build more inclusive and connected communities.”
The organisation has said that there are already 11 active Welcome Projects across the U.S. “designed to foster a sense of belonging” through activities such as sewing, art, hiking, swimming, storytelling, and cooking. The AWF states that the project also provides access to educational opportunities, employment and entrepreneurship.
More than 200 women are said to have come together through the scheme since it launched. Almost 98 percent are said to have “increased their sense of social connection and decreased feelings of loneliness” as a result of it.
Humanity Crew
The couple also helped out Humanity Crew (
Image:
Getty Images)
The foundation’s annual Impact Report said it supported Humanity Crew too. The mental health aid organisation’s work is said to “prevent trauma with displaced children and their families” in the wake of humanitarian crises.
The AWF shared that with its support, its partner “reached civilians to address the devastation” following an earthquake in Turkey and Syria in February. It added that more than 3,000 hours of “trauma-informed mental health support” was provided in those two countries after the incident.
Parents support network
They recently attended a summit in New York (
Image:
Getty Images for Project Healthy)
Prince Harry and Meghan’s organisation announced it had established a parent support network too. The AWF is said to have spent time engaging with parents whose children and families “have been impacted by online harm”.
It said: “Over the past year, we have built a first of its kind support network for these parents as the initial and most important step to building safer online communities.” 87 percent of participants are said to have felt that it “has played an important role in their healing journey”.
The couple notably fronted the Archewell Foundation Parents’ Summit: Mental Wellness in a Digital Age in October. The AWF states that it’s building a community of families who support one another, whilst becoming a platform and “catalyst” for change “towards a safer online world”.
