Four activists from the Myna Mahila Foundation were invited to the royal wedding.
In a departure from tradition, newlyweds Prince Harry and Meghan Markle asked their friends, guests and well-wishers to donate to charity instead of sending them wedding gifts. "Prince Harry and Ms. Markle have personally selected seven organisations they would like to support, reflecting their shared values," said a statement released in April. On the list of these charities is the Mumbai-based Myna Mahila Foundation - the only foreign organisation to be chosen by the royal couple.
The Myna Mahila Foundation works to improve access to sanitary products and information for women living in Mumbai's slums by offering them low-cost sanitary pads and accurate information. The pads are manufactured by the women of these communities.
"We employ women from urban slums in Mumbai to manufacture and sell affordable sanitary pads back into their communities, improving menstrual hygiene, providing stable employment, and building a trusted network," says their website.
Meghan Markle saw the work done by the foundation when she visited them last year.
Not only have Harry and Meghan, now officially the Duke and Duchess or Sussex, chosen the Myna Mahila Foundation to benefit from donations, four activists from the charity were also invited to the royal wedding that took place in Windsor Castle, UK.
"We are all very excited to be representing India at the celebrations. We are so honoured that she (Markle) chose us and kept her word that she would help us in every way she can," said Suhani Jalota, the founder of Myna Mahila Foundation, who was among 600 guests to witness the wedding ceremony at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle yesterday.
Her colleagues, Deborah Das, Archana Ambre and Imogen Mansfield, were among the 1,200 members of public invited to the wedding picnic party on the grounds of the Castle.
"Myna Mahila Foundation is delighted to be a part of this special occasion for Ms. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. This support will enable us to expand our reach into more urban slums in Mumbai," said Ms Jalota.
(With Inputs From PTI) Click for more
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