In late February, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle issued a brief statement announcing their support for Ukraine as it faced an invasion from Russian forces. In the weeks that have passed, the couple has expanded their support with donations to six different organizations working on the frontlines, including the HALO Trust, a charity that removes landmines from conflict zones.
The organization, which worked with Princess Diana throughout the 1990s and hosted Harry in Angola in 2019, has been working in eastern Ukraine since 2016, and in a video posted Friday, Harry spoke to two of their full-time employees about their experiences since the invasion began on February 24. “You guys are saving lives every day. I mean, I know you’re part of HALO, so that’s exactly what you signed up to do, and I know that you are going to continue doing the work that is so desperately needed for HALO, for your families, and your country.” Harry said. “There are so many people watching and feeling completely helpless.”
He praised the employees for continuing to work despite the growing conflict. “Thank you for being so brave and being so amazing,” he added. “Keep doing what you’re doing, keep saving lives.”
On the website for their foundation, Archewell, they spotlighted the organizations where they donated, and the list includes a few of their past partners, like the HALO Trust, the World Health Organization, mental health nonprofit Project Healthy Minds, and World Central Kitchen, the meal distribution nonprofit founded by José Andres. They are also working with refugee organization HIAS, which is helping to resettle refugees from the region, and Are We Europe, which is supporting independent media in Ukraine including The Kyiv Independent.
“As we continue to closely follow the conflict in Ukraine, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and all of us at Archewell have been moved by the work of so many organizations on the frontlines,” a spokesperson for the couple said in a statement. “From longstanding partners like the HALO Trust to organizations we’ve been newly connected to like HIAS, Archewell Foundation has made donations to a number of groups working on the ground to provide aid to Ukrainians.”
The couple is following in the footsteps of Queen Elizabeth, who made a “generous” donation to a British fundraising appeal organized by Disaster Emergency Committee earlier this month. Prince Charles, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William, and Kate Middleton have all appeared at events to support the Ukrainian community in the U.K.
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