Merck Foundation, Mozambique First Lady Partner to Boost Healthcare and Girl Education
Merck Foundation CEO, Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej (Ret.), met H.E. Dr. Gueta Selemané Chapo, First Lady of Mozambique, during the 7th Edition of the Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative (MFFLI) Summit 2025, to discuss joint programmes aimed at building healthcare and media capacity, and supporting girl education.
The Summit, inaugurated by Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp, Chairman of Merck Foundation Board of Trustees, brought together First Ladies from Angola, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Maldives, Nigeria, São Tomé & Príncipe, Senegal, and Zimbabwe.
Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej said, “It was a pleasure meeting my dear sister, H.E. Dr. Gueta Selemané Chapo, and officially appointing her as Ambassador of Merck Foundation’s ‘More Than a Mother’ initiative. Our discussion focused on building healthcare capacity by providing 100 scholarships for Mozambican doctors across 42 critical and underserved medical specialties, as well as addressing social and health challenges, breaking infertility stigma, and supporting girl education. We also signed an MoU to formalise our long-term partnership.”
H.E. Dr. Gueta Selemané Chapo added, “Being part of this prestigious conference with my fellow African and Asian First Ladies was a great honour. I am proud to share that 20 scholarships have already been awarded to local doctors in Diabetes, Endocrinology, Acute Medicine, Infectious Diseases, and Pain Management, with a target of 100 scholarships through our partnership.”
During the Summit, a strategy meeting was held between Dr. Rasha Kelej and the First Lady of Mozambique to define programmes and strategies for advancing healthcare and media capacity in the country. The MFFLI committee also convened to review the impact of Merck Foundation programmes and discuss future strategies with participating First Ladies.
Since 2012, the Merck Foundation has provided over 2,500 scholarships to healthcare professionals from 52 countries in 44 critical and underserved medical specialties. The foundation has also trained more than 3,700 media representatives to raise awareness of social and health issues, launched eight annual awards for excellence in media, music, film, and fashion, produced children’s storybooks and animated films, and supported over 1,200 schoolgirls annually across Africa.
The Merck Foundation continues to focus on transforming patient care, empowering girls through education, and raising awareness of social and health issues, maintaining a strictly non-political stance in all its initiatives.
For more information, visit www.Merck-Foundation.com
