Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation

“Our Africa by Merck Foundation” TV program broadcasting on three Prime TV Channels: KTN, Kenya; NTV, Uganda and GH One, Ghana

Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany released the Thirteenth Episode of their TV program “Our Africa by Merck Foundation” on Saturday, 9^th July 2022 on KTN, Kenya, repeated every Wednesday at 6:30 pm and on Sunday, 10^th July on NTV, Uganda, repeated every Thursday at 4 pm. The TV program also airs on GH One TV in Ghana, every Sunday, repeated every Monday at 1:30 pm.

The thirteenth episode of “Our Africa by Merck Foundation” addresses the important issue of “Stopping Child Marriage”. The past episodes of the show have addressed the Importance of early detection & prevention of Diabetes, Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education, promoting a Healthy Lifestyle, Ending Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), Coronavirus Health Awareness, Sustainability & up-cycled fashion, Women empowerment and Gender-Based Violence (GBV). The TV program has been receiving great feedback from viewers across the three countries and social media followers across Africa and beyond.

Watch the Thirteenth Episode promo here:

Watch the Thirteenth Episode here:

‘Our Africa by Merck Foundation’ is a pan African TV program that is conceptualized, produced, directed, and co-hosted by Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation to feature African Fashion Designers, Singers, and prominent experts from various domains with the aim to raise awareness and create a culture shift across Africa. The show is co-hosted by Brian Mulondo from Uganda.

Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation expressed, “I am very happy to receive such great feedback and response from the viewers of ‘Our Africa by Merck Foundation’ TV program and our social media followers. The thirteenth episode focuses on the issue of ‘Stopping Child Marriage’. Girls, not Brides! While Child marriage is a global issue, Africa has one of the highest rate of child marriages in the world. Specifically, sub-Saharan Africa has the highest rates where every 4 in 10 girls are married before the age of 18”.

“We have addressed this very important issue through Merck Foundation’s ‘Fashion and Art with Purpose’ community. I have always emphasized that fashion and art should have a purpose beyond entertainment and looking good and can contribute greatly towards raising awareness and sensitizing communities about social and health issues. ‘Our Africa by Merck Foundation’ TV program is our attempt to utilize these important mediums to break the silence and create a culture shift by addressing pressing social and health issues in Africa”, added Dr. Rasha Kelej.

“Our African by Merck Foundation” TV Program is broadcasting on the following TV channels:

– Every Saturday @ 5:30 pm (EAT) on KTN, Kenya; re-run on Wednesday @ 6:30 am (EAT)

– Every Sunday @ 6:30 pm (EAT) on NTV Uganda; re-run on Thursday @ 4:00 pm (EAT)

– Every Sunday @ 2 pm on (GMT) GH One TV, Ghana; re-run on Monday @ 1:30 pm (GMT)

Watch the Promo of ‘Our Africa by Merck Foundation’ here:

The Thirteenth episode features Ms. Nancy, a TV Presenter & Style Coach from Ghana and very talented designers Gaone Mangogola from Botswana, and Stephany – Lee Schmidt from Namibia, who is also a Merck Foundation Fashion Award Winner.The young designers showcased their designs that displayed strong messages to Stop Child Marriage.

The episode also featured the Merck Foundation song ‘Girls can’ by popular singers – Cwesi Oteng, a popular singer from Ghana and Irene Logan from Liberia. The song supports Girl education and empowers them to ‘do anything’ and ‘be anything’ by making informed choices and saying ‘no’ to gender discrimination and violence.

Watch, share & subscribe to the “Girls Can” song here:

Senator, Dr. Rasha emphasized, “It is important to understand that providing education to girls can play a significant role in stopping child marriage. Girls who complete primary and secondary education tend to marry later. Therefore, through our ‘Educating Linda’ program, we have been contributing to the future of 100’s of girls in partnership with the African First Ladies, by providing them scholarships and grants to cover school fees, uniforms, and other essentials including notebooks, pens, and mathematical instruments, etc, from many African countries such as Burundi, Central African Republic, DRC, The Gambia, Guinea Conakry, Liberia Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and more”.

Merck Foundation has also released an inspiring children’s storybook ‘Jackline’s Rescue’ to focus on the importance of Girls’ Education and ill effects of child marriage. You can read Jackline’s Rescue Storybook here: