Merck Foundation and Burundi First Lady Drive Healthcare Innovation and Girl Education
The Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, has reaffirmed its long-term commitment to Burundi through a strategic partnership with the First Lady of Burundi, H.E. Madam Angeline Ndayishimiye.
The announcement was made during the 12th edition of the Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary, held in collaboration with the Government of The Gambia.
Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and President of the “More Than a Mother” initiative, highlighted the achievements of the partnership, which began in 2020. “Since our collaboration started, we have provided 55 scholarships to Burundian doctors in critical and underserved medical specialties, including Oncology, Embryology, Fertility, Diabetes, and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine,” Dr. Kelej said.
The partnership has also supported girl education through the Educating Linda programme, providing annual scholarships to 40 high-performing but underprivileged girls. In addition, the first public IVF centre in Burundi was established, enabling fertility treatment within the country. The collaboration has also produced Burundi’s first diabetes centre and launched the country’s first Diabetology Society.
H.E. Madam Ndayishimiye emphasised the significance of these initiatives in empowering women and building healthcare capacity. “Merck Foundation’s scholarships and training programmes have transformed healthcare in Burundi and created opportunities for our girls to pursue education, which is essential for national development,” she said.
The Merck Foundation has also launched nine children’s storybooks in multiple languages, addressing issues such as infertility stigma, child marriage, gender-based violence, diabetes, hypertension, and cancer. Over 3,700 media representatives from more than 35 countries have been trained to raise awareness of these social and health issues, supported by eight annual awards recognising excellence in media, music, fashion, and film.
Since its inception, the Merck Foundation has awarded over 2,500 scholarships to healthcare providers across 52 countries in 44 underserved medical specialties, alongside providing 1,200 annual scholarships to underprivileged schoolgirls across 18 African nations.
The 12th Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary featured keynote speeches by African First Ladies and a high-level ministerial panel to strengthen healthcare research, women’s empowerment in STEM, and regional health initiatives.
The Merck Foundation continues to leverage its programmes to transform healthcare delivery, advance education, and empower women across Africa.
