The Duke and Duchess of Sussex today learned how surfing can help vulnerable young people — after their plans to visit the beach were hit by high winds.
On the second day of their African tour, Harry and Meghan travelled to Monwabisi Beach, on the outskirts of Cape Town, to learn about the work of Waves For Change, which helps children from townships with their mental health through surfing.
The weather meant the planned photo-op on the beach was scrapped, but the couple laughed as they made their way to the Waves For Change headquarters to join surfers for a welcome chant and dance. Harry and Meghan also sat with the young people to learn more about the organisation.
Meghan said: “I think what’s so amazing being here today is that you can see there’s so much good happening in the world and there’s so much positivity and all this diversity and inclusivity.
“It just highlights that, yes, there’s a lot of attention on things that could be a bit troubling in the world but this is actually making a difference and what matters.”
Ash Heese, 27, projects manager at Waves For Change, said it had been running for nine years, starting from a small van on the beach.
He said: “We had no idea that the couple had even heard of us until they featured us on their Instagram account. We woke up on a Monday morning to find our social media going crazy.
“We really hope that this visit will raise awareness of the work we are doing. These young people on average experience eight acts that affect their mental health every day, ranging from extreme poverty to violence and intimidation. Most of us experience four in a lifetime.”
Afterwards, Harry and Meghan went to a project to learn about the impact of microplastics in the ocean and view a demonstration in a laboratory.
They also heard about The Lunchbox Fund, one of four charities to benefit from donations made after the birth of their son Archie, who has joined his parents in South Africa for his first royal tour. It provides 30,000 meals every day to Waves For Change programmes and schools in townships and rural areas.
