Sophie, Countess of Wessex meets schoolchildren as she visits Botswana

Radiant in white! Sophie Wessex is elegant as she meets schoolchildren in Botswana as part of her advocacy work to end avoidable blindness

• Sophie Wessex, 57, will visit Botswana and Malawi to mark World Sight Day 
• She’s an ambassador for International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness
• Trip follows her becoming first royal to visit Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Countess of Wessex looked radiant in white today as she continued her Africa trip with a visit to Botswana, which will be followed by Malawi later this week.

 Sophie, 57, is visiting the countries in her capacity as global ambassador for the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB).

Ending avoidable blindness is a cause the royal, who is married to King Charles’ brother Prince Edward, has long lent her name to, and she has worked with the IAPB for some 20 years.

Sophie, who was vice patron of the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust, which was set up in 2012 to work against avoidable blindness, and was operational (as planned) until 2020, first visited Botswana to see the legacy of the trust, which was set up in 2012 to work against avoidable blindness.

The Countess of Wessex (pictured during today’s visit to Molefe Primary School) is currently visiting Botswana as part of her advocacy work with blindness charities 

Sophie, 57, met a number of children who have participated in the Pono Yame school eye health programme while visiting Molefe Primary School (pictured) today

While in Botswana, the royal has visited Molefe Primary School in Kopong, meeting children who’ve benefited from treatments the Trust was involved in, including the Pono Yame school eye health programme which aims to identify and treat vision problems in young people.

She is set to attend a Chevening and Commonwealth Scholars and Commonwealth Points of Light reception later today, which will celebrate the accomplishments of young people from the family of nations.

Sophie will then mark World Sight Day, on September 13, in Malawi, where she will visit a local clinic to learn about its sight saving surgeries and treatments, as well as meeting patients and hearing their stories.  

These appearances follow Sophie becoming the first member of the Firm to visit the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which she did last week, in a trip which had been planned for many months before the death of the Queen.

Sophie warmly shook hands with the Minister of Health Grace Muzila during her visit to the school today 

The royal also talked to Pearl Mookotsane, aged 15, who has received eye care through the Pono Yame scheme

Pearl and Sophie chatted as the schoolgirl’s mother looked on. Pearl was wearing her uniform and a pair of protective sunglasses 

The Countess of Wessex, who was sat next to the Health Minister of Botswana, looked in great spirits during her visit today 

Sophie enthusiastically waved at some of the guests who came to attend a presentation at the school

Sophie Wessex (pictured) has long worked to raise awareness around avoidable blindness, and has been a global ambassador for the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) for 20 years

During her royal visit to Molefe Primary School in Kopong today, the countess gave glasses to children who have participated in the Pono Yame school eye health programme

The royal looked delighted to meet schoolchildren today, beaming as she gave one boy a pair of glasses

The Pono Yame school eye health programme seeks to identify vision problems in schoolchildren, so they can be treated

Smiling: the royal appeared to be extremely happy as she visited Molefe Primary School, and was snapped smiling broadly

Numerous images from the primary school visit today show the countess looking delighted to be carrying out her royal work

There, the countess’s visit focused on addressing the devastating impact of sexual and gender-based violence in conflict, while supporting and empowering survivors and tackling the stigma they face. 

She arrived in the country alongside Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, the Prime Minister’s special representative on preventing sexual violence in conflict. 

During the first day of her trip, she attended a meeting in Bukavu, South Kivu Province, with representatives from TRIAL International. 

A peace agreement was signed in 2002 but violence continued in some areas, requiring a large United Nations military force to try to maintain order. 

Sophie Wessex (pictured) became the first royal to visit the Democratic Republic of the Congo last week, ahead of today’s trip to Botswana (pictured)

Chatty: the royal appears animated as she talks with schoolchildren during her appearance in Kopong today

This August, Africa’s second largest country faced rising regional tensions in the east, with weeks of deadly protests against UN peacekeepers.

Sophie’s visit took during the run-up to the International Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative Conference, which is being hosted by the UK Government in London next month, and which the countess will attend.

She publicly committed herself to supporting the UK’s work helping victims of rape, sexual violence and exploitation in war in 2019. 

It is a non-governmental organization which is dedicated to fighting impunity for international crimes in conflict, as well as providing legal support to survivors of conflict related violence and human rights violations as they seek justice. 

Sophie, who is married to King Charles’ brother Prince Edward, carried out an official visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo at the request of the Foreign Office

Sophie’s visit took place during the run-up to the International Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative Conference, which will be hosted by the UK Government in London next month, and which the countess will attend 

During the first day of her trip, Sophie attended a meeting in Bukavu, South Kivu Province, with representatives from TRIAL International

The Countess met with a non-governmental organization which is dedicated to fighting impunity for international crimes in conflict, as well as providing legal support to survivors of conflict related violence and human rights violations as they seek justice 

In its recent history, the DRC has endured years of civil conflict in what has been called Africa’s world war, with the loss of up to six million lives through fighting or disease and malnutrition.

Sophie said last year that hearing survivors’ stories of sexual violence has taken her to ‘some very dark places’ during her work to raise awareness.

‘Every story I am told is pushing me forward. I feel obligated to tell people this is happening – it is their story to tell and I support them,’ she added.

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