Merck Foundation, CAR First Lady Mark 13 Years of Impact and 8th Anniversary
Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, has celebrated its 8th anniversary alongside a 13-year journey of impactful development programmes with the First Lady of the Central African Republic, H.E. Madam Brigitte Touadera. The milestone was marked during the 7th Edition of the Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative (MFFLI) Summit 2025, held in Bangui.
The summit, inaugurated by Prof Dr Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp, Chairman of the Merck Foundation Board of Trustees, and Senator Dr Rasha Kelej, Chief Executive Officer of Merck Foundation, brought together First Ladies from across Africa and Asia, including Angola, Cabo Verde, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, Zimbabwe and others.
Speaking at the summit, Dr Kelej highlighted the long-standing partnership with the First Lady of the Central African Republic. “Our collaboration began in 2015, and since then we have provided scholarships for young doctors in oncology and diabetes, and supported the education of 40 underprivileged schoolgirls through the Educating Linda programme. Together, we have been building healthcare capacity and addressing critical social issues,” she said.
First Lady Brigitte Touadera praised the partnership for transforming healthcare and livelihoods. “With Merck Foundation, we have trained doctors in essential medical specialties, empowered infertile and childless women through the ‘Empowering Berna’ programme, and supported girl education with scholarships for 40 schoolgirls. These initiatives are creating lasting impact in our communities,” she said.
As part of the celebrations, Merck Foundation and the First Lady also announced a call for applications for eight awards targeting media professionals, musicians, fashion designers, filmmakers, students, and emerging talents. The awards aim to promote awareness of issues such as breaking infertility stigma, ending gender-based violence, child marriage, and female genital mutilation, while supporting women’s empowerment, girl education, and prevention of diabetes and hypertension.
The Foundation further showcased its wide-ranging impact: over 2,280 scholarships awarded to doctors from 52 countries in 44 underserved medical fields; training of more than 3,700 journalists from 35 countries; the launch of children’s storybooks in French addressing social and health issues; and the production of songs, films, and television programmes to create awareness across Africa.
Merck Foundation reaffirmed its mission to transform patient care and create a cultural shift in addressing social and health challenges, working in close partnership with African First Ladies and other global stakeholders.
