August M
Humanitarian agencies operating in the Middle East continue to grapple with mounting needs, from food insecurity to mental health support.
During the second day of their visit to Jordan, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle turned their attention to both issues, meeting aid leaders and health officials as part of a two-day programme, according to The Express.
The engagements combined discussions on psychological wellbeing with briefings on emergency food relief linked to Gaza.
Focus on wellbeing
The Duke and Duchess began part of the day alongside representatives from the World Health Organization at Jordan’s national centre for the rehabilitation of addicts.
Mental health advocacy forms one of the core themes of their trip, The Express reported, with the visit highlighting regional efforts to expand treatment and recovery services.
Images released from the engagement show Meghan dressed in black with a grey coat, linking arms with Harry as they walked down a staircase together.
Aid under pressure
Attention later shifted to food assistance programmes connected to Gaza. At the regional headquarters of World Central Kitchen, founded by chef Jose Andres, the couple were briefed on the operational strain facing teams working to provide daily meals.
The charity relies on a network of kitchens and partners to cook and distribute food, but officials said supply routes remain a critical challenge.
Wadhah Hubaishi, the organisation’s response director for the Middle East and North Africa, described the pressure caused by limited deliveries entering Gaza. He said: “This is one of our most delicious meals for the Gaza people. Within two hours, we will start distributing the food. We need 20 trucks of supplies every day from Egypt, not enough trucks are coming in, that really affects us more than any other actor.”
Speaking more broadly about conditions facing families, he added that the group’s guiding idea is “food with smiles” and shared a story that underscored shortages affecting children. “A three-year-old ate a banana and asked his father ‘can I eat the peel’,” he said.
The Sussexes also joined a virtual conversation with aid workers involved in distribution efforts, hearing directly about the realities on the ground.
The visit brought together two strands of their programme, pairing immediate food relief discussions with longer-term health and recovery initiatives.
Sources: The Express, World Central Kitchen, WHO
