First Ladies and Merck Foundation Unite to Boost Healthcare, Empower Women
The Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, has successfully hosted the 7th Edition of the Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative (MFFLI) Summit 2025, convening 14 First Ladies from Africa and Asia, alongside over 2,000 health professionals, policymakers, and media representatives.
The two-day event, held on June 19–20 in Accra, Ghana, focused on improving healthcare capacity, supporting girl education, and challenging societal taboos, including infertility stigma.
The summit was officially opened by Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp, Chairman of the Merck Foundation Board of Trustees, and Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and President of the Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative. The event brought together influential First Ladies, who also serve as Ambassadors of the “More Than a Mother” campaign—Merck Foundation’s flagship program to break the silence around infertility.
Participating First Ladies included:
- Zimbabwe – H.E. Amai Dr. Auxillia Mnangagwa
- Nigeria – H.E. Senator Oluremi Tinubu
- Kenya – H.E. Mrs. Rachel Ruto
- Ghana – H.E. Mrs. Lordina Dramani Mahama
- Senegal – H.E. Madam Marie Khone Faye
- Mozambique – H.E. Dr. Gueta Seleman Chapo
- Maldives – H.E. Mrs. Sajidha Mohamed
- Liberia – H.E. Mrs. Kartumu Yarta Boakai
- São Tomé and Príncipe – H.E. Mrs. Maria de Fatima Vila Nova
- The Gambia – H.E. Mrs. Fatoumatta Bah-Barrow
- Gabon – H.E. Madam Zita Oligui Nguema
- Central African Republic – H.E. Madam Brigitte Touadera
- Cabo Verde – H.E. Dr. Débora Katisa Carvalho
- Angola – H.E. Dr. Ana Dias Lourenço
Transforming Healthcare Capacity
Merck Foundation has awarded over 2,280 scholarships to young doctors from 52 countries across 44 underserved specialties, including fertility care, oncology, diabetes, cardiology, and mental health.
Notable national impacts include:
- Kenya: 244 scholarships; 47 schoolgirls supported through “Educating Linda.”
- Zimbabwe: 130 scholarships; 40 schoolgirls supported.
- Ghana: 210 scholarships; 20 schoolgirls supported.
- Nigeria: 64 scholarships; 20 girls supported.
- The Gambia: 88 scholarships; 40 girls supported.
- Liberia: 51 scholarships; 20 girls supported.
- Cabo Verde: 42 girls supported.
- Senegal: 25 scholarships in oncology, diabetes, fertility, and embryology.
- Mozambique: 18 scholarships in diabetes and infectious diseases.
- Gabon: 3 doctors supported so far.
- Maldives: Scholarships launched in fertility and embryology.
The “Educating Linda” initiative continues to bridge the education gap for underprivileged but high-performing girls, with 950+ scholarships provided to date.
Addressing Critical Social Issues
Through this powerful partnership, the Merck Foundation is:
- Breaking infertility stigma via “More Than a Mother”
- Promoting women empowerment, ending child marriage and FGM
- Raising awareness of diabetes, hypertension, and mental health
- Supporting survivors of GBV
Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej emphasized, “We are proud to work with these First Ladies to drive sustainable impact. Together, we are not just transforming health systems; we are reshaping mindsets and empowering future generations.”
Multimedia Awareness Campaigns
Merck Foundation has also:
- Trained 3,700+ journalists across 35+ countries
- Produced 30+ songs and 8 children’s storybooks
- Released 7 awareness animation films in 5 languages
- Launched 8 annual awards for journalists, fashion designers, musicians, and filmmakers
- Created the TV program “Our Africa by Merck Foundation” to promote social change through fashion and art
A Growing Global Movement
With 15 social media channels and a combined reach of 8 million+ followers, Merck Foundation continues to lead impactful campaigns at scale.
Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp commended the First Ladies: “Their achievements are not just national milestones—they are pillars of the global movement for inclusive health and gender equity.”
Watch the Inaugural Session and Key Speeches
The full proceedings and speeches from the First Ladies are available across Merck Foundation and Dr. Rasha Kelej’s official platforms:
