The Duchess of Edinburgh rounded off an intensive five-day tour of Zambia by joining trachoma survivors in a jubilant dance at Mukuno Rural Health Centre, situated close to the city of Livingstone.
Sophie jovially grooved to chants sung in the local language, which translated as: “We are happy because now we can see.”
The moving celebration followed deeply personal testimonies from six individuals who had endured trachoma – a debilitating condition that, without intervention, causes the eyelashes to curl inward, producing relentless irritation that eventually destroys sight.
The wider tour had already taken the duchess to Victoria Falls and even produced an unexpected nocturnal encounter with a hippopotamus.
Yet it was this final day, spent among Zambians whose vision had been saved, that brought the royal visit to its most emotionally resonant conclusion.
Among those who shared their experiences was Priscah Mwanaseluka, who, carrying her six-month-old infant, explained how deteriorating vision had robbed her of the ability to attend school, manage domestic tasks or labour in the fields.
“Afterwards, I was able to get married and have two children,” she said of her recovery.
The duchess responded with characteristic directness, calling trachoma “the worst condition to have” and remarking: “We all know what it’s like just to get one eyelash in your eye, and it’s horrible.”
The Duchess of Edinburgh rounded off an intensive five-day tour of Zambia by joining trachoma survivors in a jubilant dance at Mukuno Rural Health Centre, situated close to the city of Livingstone
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PA
Sophie danced enthusiastically to chants sung in the local language, which translated as: ‘We are happy because now we can see’
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PA
Sophie’s dedication to combating preventable blindness is rooted in personal experience, having supported her daughter, Lady Louise Windsor, now 22, through her own vision difficulties during childhood.
The charity Sightsavers, a British organisation collaborating with the Zambian Government, is spearheading efforts to eliminate trachoma as a public health threat in the country.
From the health centre, the duchess proceeded to Libuyu Primary School, where she learned about the work of Wish – Women’s Integrated Sexual Health – a programme aimed at transforming the lives of women across the region.
The Duchess then proceeded to Libuyu Primary School, where she learned about the work of Wish – Women’s Integrated Sexual Health – a programme aimed at transforming the lives of women across the region
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PA
The initiative focuses on delivering high-quality family planning and reproductive health services, while simultaneously tackling entrenched attitudes surrounding gender-based violence.
Her final engagement took the duchess to the Wayi Wayi art studio, where artists Lawrence and Agness Buya Yombwe – a married couple who had studied in Britain – have established a creative workshop in Livingstone.
The pair presented Sophie with a textured ceramic vessel they described as a “dialogue dynamic” pot, featuring twin spouts designed to illustrate that conversation only functions when one person speaks at a time – a metaphor for couples who interrupt each other.
The duchess was clearly amused, quipping: “Actually, I think my husband might want one of these.”
The aim of Sophie’s five-day tour of Zambia, which has now concluded, was to champion causes including gender equality, climate change, and education through a series of engagements.
She serves as a global ambassador for the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness and has been a passionate advocate for tackling avoidable sight loss for many years.
The duchess has long been dedicated to raising awareness of violence against women around the world.