Merck Foundation and African First Ladies Champion Health and Social Change
Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, has reaffirmed its commitment to healthcare capacity building and social transformation across Africa and Asia following the successful hosting of the 12th Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary conference in partnership with the Government of The Gambia.
The high-level annual conference was co-chaired by H.E. Mrs Fatoumatta Bah-Barrow, First Lady of The Gambia and Ambassador of Merck Foundation More Than a Mother, alongside Dr Rasha Kelej, Chief Executive Officer of Merck Foundation and President of More Than a Mother. The event brought together influential African First Ladies, ministers and policymakers to advance dialogue on health, education, research and women’s empowerment.
Among the Guests of Honour and keynote speakers was H.E. Madam Brigitte Touadera, First Lady of the Central African Republic and Ambassador of Merck Foundation More Than a Mother, joined by the First Ladies of Burundi, Liberia, Nigeria, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Senegal.
Speaking on the sidelines of the conference, Dr Kelej described her meeting with Madam Touadera as a reflection of a long-standing and impactful partnership. She noted that since 2015, Merck Foundation has supported the Central African Republic through scholarships for young doctors in critical fields such as oncology and diabetes, strengthening the country’s healthcare capacity.
Madam Touadera welcomed the continued collaboration, highlighting the Foundation’s role in training local doctors, breaking the stigma surrounding infertility, and raising awareness about male infertility. She further emphasised the impact of the Education Linda programme, through which 40 underprivileged schoolgirls in the Central African Republic receive annual scholarships to complete their education and realise their full potential.
The two-day conference featured a plenary session with keynote speeches from African First Ladies, alongside a high-level ministerial panel discussion focused on the Merck Foundation African Research Summit (MARS). Discussions centred on building scientific research capacity and empowering women in STEM, with a particular emphasis on African-led research.
On the second day, the Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative (MFFLI) committee meeting brought together African First Ladies and Merck Foundation leadership to review country-level impact reports and outline future strategies.
In partnership with the Office of the First Lady of the Central African Republic, Merck Foundation also announced a call for applications for eight annual awards targeting media professionals, musicians, filmmakers, fashion designers, students and emerging talents.
The awards aim to promote creative advocacy on critical issues including infertility stigma, girl education, gender-based violence, child marriage, female genital mutilation, women’s empowerment, and the prevention and early detection of diabetes and hypertension.
As part of its media engagement efforts, Merck Foundation and the Office of the First Lady of the Central African Republic have conducted four editions of Online Health Media Training, encouraging journalists to amplify the voices of underserved communities and raise awareness on sensitive social and health issues.
The partnership has further produced seven children’s storybooks addressing health and social challenges, adapted into animated films to reach wider audiences and nurture awareness from an early age.
The 12th Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary was streamed live across Merck Foundation’s digital platforms, reinforcing its pan-African and global reach.
Since its inception, Merck Foundation has provided more than 2,500 scholarships to healthcare professionals from 52 countries in 44 underserved medical specialties. Beyond healthcare training, the Foundation has trained over 3,700 media representatives, supported creative advocacy through music, film and fashion, and awarded more than 1,200 annual scholarships to underprivileged African schoolgirls across 18 countries.
Through these initiatives, Merck Foundation continues to position health, education and social awareness as central pillars of sustainable development across Africa and Asia.
