Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation & President of Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative and H.E. Dr. DÉBORA KATISA CARVALHO, The First Lady of Cabo Verde and Ambassador of Merck Foundation “More Than a Mother”
It was a pleasure welcoming and meeting my dear sister, H.E. Dr. DÉBORA KATISA CARVALHO, The First Lady of Cabo Verde and Ambassador of Merck Foundation “More Than a Mother,” at the 7th Edition of Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative Summit 2025. The Summit was inaugurated by Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp, Chairman of Merck Foundation Board of Trustees, Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation & President of Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative, and H.E. Dr. DÉBORA KATISA CARVALHO, along with the First Ladies of Angola, Central African Republic, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Maldives, Mozambique, Nigeria, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, and Zimbabwe.
Merck Foundation Chairman, CEO, and 14 First Ladies inaugurate the 7th Edition of Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative – MFFLI Summit
Together with my dear sister, we have started to provide scholarships for young doctors in the fields of Oncology and Fertility, and they will soon begin their programs. This marks an important milestone for us in building healthcare capacity in Cabo Verde. We also signed an MoU to underscore our long-term partnership and to continue our programs in the country.
Together with my dear sister, we have started to provide scholarships for young doctors in the fields of Oncology and Fertility, and they will soon begin their programs. This marks an important milestone for us in building healthcare capacity in Cabo Verde. We also signed an MoU to underscore our long-term partnership and to continue our programs in the country.
I am equally delighted to share that, through our “Educating Linda” program, we are supporting 42 underprivileged but high-performing schoolgirls across Cabo Verde. These scholarships empower them to complete their education, unlock their potential, and pursue their dreams, contributing to a stronger and more empowered nation.
Watch the Speech of The First Lady of Cabo Verde & Ambassador of Merck Foundation More Than a Mother during the Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative Summit 2025 here:
Watch the video of MFFLI committee meeting:
Merck Foundation has been dedicated to transforming patient care since 2012, and I am proud to share that we have provided over 2,280 scholarships for doctors from 52 countries in 44 critical and underserved medical specialties. We look forward to enrolling more doctors from Cabo Verde in various medical specialties in partnership with the First Lady and Ministry of Health of Cabo Verde.
In partnership with The First Lady of Cabo Verde, we have conducted two editions of our Online Health Media Training to empower journalists to raise awareness about critical social and health issues, such as breaking infertility stigma, supporting girl education, and promoting early detection and prevention of diabetes and hypertension. Additionally, we have launched seven children’s storybooks in Portuguese—“More Than a Mother,” “Educating Linda,” “Jackline’s Rescue,” “Not Who You Are,” “Ride into the Future,” “Sugar Free Jude,” and “Mark’s Pressure”—to address issues like infertility stigma, girl education, stopping gender-based violence (GBV), and raising awareness about diabetes and hypertension.
During the Summit, we announced the Call for Applications for our eight Merck Foundation Awards in partnership with The First Lady of Cabo Verde, targeting Media, Musicians, Fashion Designers, Filmmakers, students, and new potential talents. These awards aim to inspire creative storytelling to address pressing social and health issues, including Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education, Ending FGM, and Promoting Diabetes and Hypertension Awareness. I warmly invite Cabo Verde’s young talents to submit their creative work to submit@merck-foundation.com by 30th September 2025 for “More Than a Mother” awards and 30th October 2025 for “Diabetes & Hypertension” awards.
The Summit’s hybrid format enabled over 6,000 participants from more than 70 countries to join our discussions, amplifying our collective impact and fostering meaningful dialogue on healthcare and social challenges.
Kind Regards,
Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej
CEO of Merck Foundation
President of Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative (MFFLI)
President of “More Than a Mother” Campaign
