Meghan Markle Speaks Out About Access to Education in Johannesburg

Photo credit: Pool - Getty Images
Photo credit: Pool - Getty Images

From Town & Country

The Duchess of Sussex reminded students of the importance of small steps towards making a big difference today as she visited the University of Johannesburg. Meghan carried out her first public engagement in the city, meeting with staff and students during a roundtable discussion about access to education and gender equality.

“Sometimes access to education can seem so big, you wonder where to even begin? So you begin with one student, or one school, you simply begin. And that’s when we see change,” the duchess said in remarks that were later posted on her Instagram account. According to the post, Meghan continued by referencing a Martin Luther King Jr quote: “Take the first step...you don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”

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This morning, The Duchess of Sussex went back to college! Joining students and educators at The University of Johannesburg The Duchess was able to announce a new series of gender grants from the Association of Commonwealth Universities, of which she is patron. She was also able to announce four new scholarships to help students study in different commonwealth countries, allowing cross cultural understanding and an opportunity to deepen their educational studies abroad. One of the recipients of these grants shared his story of growing up on farmland in Kenya, where he paid for his education trading vegetables to cover schooling costs (cauliflower leaves to be exact!) He is now doing a research study on carcinogens in his country, its link to cancer - his work is helping to change practices and to save lives. The Duchess was so moved by the work being done across the education sector and to talk with such like-minded thinkers about the importance of access to education and the support needed internally. When the round table discussion this morning moved to the challenges faced in this sector and how daunting it can all seem, The Duchess said, “Sometimes access to education can seem so big, you wonder where to even begin? So you begin with one student, or one school, you simply begin. And that’s when we see change.” She continued by referencing a Martin Luther King Jr quote: “Take the first step... you don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” Since the ACU Gender Grants were launch in 2016, 28 universities in 17 countries have benefited with a minimum of 600 beneficiaries participating in workshops supported by the grants. #RoyalVisitSouthAfrica Photo ?? PA images

A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal) on Oct 1, 2019 at 3:26am PDT

The duchess also told the discussion: “When a woman is empowered it changes absolutely everything in the community.” Meghan explained to the students that advocating for the right to education was “truly and deeply important and meaningful to me on a personal level,” describing it as “such a key element” for economical and personal growth.

“I went to university. It takes a village doesn’t it to sort of piece it together for people to be able to finance that; families chipping in, scholarships, financial aid. All those things that are the reason that I was able to attend university,” she added.

Meghan’s words and appearance at the university were described as “inspiring” by students who were present for her visit, during which she announced three new gender grants and four new Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth scholarships from the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU). Meghan became patron of the ACU in January of this year, taking over from the Queen who held the position for 33 years.

“The duchess kept speaking about just taking the necessary steps. Even if it’s one, even if it’s small, and no matter how big the goal seems to be,” Tumi Mampame, an MA student in the department of communication studies, told T&C after the duchess had left.

She continued: “I think I’m definitely going to remember that when it gets stressful and it gets tiring that just that very small step—from the township that I’m from, from the spaces that I’m in—is actually going to make a difference one day. That’s motivating and inspiring. I think I’m more motivated now more than every to keep pushing my work and to take it as far as I possibly can.”

Photo credit: Christiaan Kotze - PA Images - Getty Images
Photo credit: Christiaan Kotze - PA Images - Getty Images

Margaret Macdonald, 33, from Canada, received a commonwealth scholarship from the ACU and is studying at the University of Cape Town, where she is conducting research on the contribution of small scale fisheries to food security in the western cape.

“The focus of the conversation was on gender and gender within secondary education,” she told T&C. “Whether it be how university policies affect different genders or whether it be how students, how they feel within their environment, if the environment was created more with a patriarchal lens.”

Citing the fact that she is from Canada and has colleagues from Kenya and Ghana, Margaret said, “[the duchess] understands the importance of inter-cultural learning and experiences. So for her, that was a big thing. Also, as a female she understands that element of gender and how different circumstances affect you as a person.”

She added, “The duchess was doing a lot of listening but also highlighting the importance of education and how you change maybe one researcher or you provide funding support to one person and that’s one step in creating change for all of us.”

Established in 1913, the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) brings together universities from around the world to advance knowledge, promote understanding, broaden minds and improve lives. The organization champions higher education, helps to expand opportunities for students and academics and promotes international collaboration.

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