Merck Foundation CEO, Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej with H.E. MR. DHARAMBEER GOKHOOL, The President of Mauritius.
I am proud to share that we conducted the Fourth Edition of our “Merck Foundation Health Media Training” in partnership with the Ministry of Gender Equality & Family Welfare, Mauritius, co-chaired by myself and with Hon’ble Ms. Marie Arianne Navarre-Marie, Minister of Gender Equality and Family Welfare, Mauritius.
I strongly believed in the power of media, and that role it plays a significant role in shaping our society. I have always said that Media enters every home, even without an invitation. Therefore, journalists can make a difference through their day-to-day work and create a cultural shift by raising awareness about social and health issues like Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education, Ending Child Marriage, Stopping GBV and raising awareness about early detection and prevention of Diabetes & Hypertension.
It was a great honor to share with him the achievements of our partnership and programs since 2017 that aim to transform patient care, build healthcare and media capacity, to empower women in STEM, support girl education and raise awareness about social and health issues in Mauritius and across Africa. We remain strongly committed to work closely with Ministry of Health to improve access to innovative and equitable healthcare solutions.
During the visit, we also had a meeting with Ms. Marie Arianne Navarre-Marie, Minister of Gender Equality and Family Welfare, Mauritius and I am very happy to share that together with Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Welfare, we are launching our Educating Linda Program in the country, as a part of which we will be supporting the education of 20 high performing yet underprivileged Mauritian schoolgirls, till they graduate. Through this, we will be empowering them to complete their studies and reach their full potential.
During the Merck Foundation Health Media Training, we announced the Call for Applications for our 8 Merck Foundation Awards for Media, Musicians, Fashion Designers, Filmmakers, and students & new potential talents in Mauritius, in partnership with the Media Trust Board and Academy of Design and Innovation, Mauritius. These awards aim to raise awareness about Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education, Women Empowerment, Ending Child Marriage, Ending FGM, Stopping GBV, and Diabetes and Hypertension awareness.
I invite the young talents from Mauritius to share their creative and inspiring work with us at submit@merck-foundation.com by 30th September 2025 for “More Than a Mother” awards and 30th October 2025 for “Diabetes & Hypertension” awards.
The award announced are:
Merck Foundation Africa Media Recognition Awards “More Than a Mother” 2025, in partnership with Media Trust Board, Mauritius: Media representatives and media students are invited to showcase their work to raise awareness about one or more of the following social issues such as: Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education, Women Empowerment, Ending Child Marriage, Ending FGM, and/ or Stopping GBV at all levels.
Submission deadline: 30th September 2025.
Merck Foundation Film Awards “More Than a Mother” 2025: All African Filmmakers, Students of Film Making Training Institutions, or Young Talents of Africa are invited to create and share a long or short FILMS, either drama, documentary, or docudrama to deliver strong and influential messages to address one or more of the following social issues such as: Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education, Women Empowerment, Ending Child Marriage, Ending FGM, and/ or Stopping GBV at all levels.
Submission deadline: 30th September 2025.
Merck Foundation Song Awards “More Than a Mother” 2025: All African Singers and Musical Artists are invited to create and share a SONG with the aim to address one or more of the following social issues such as: Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education, Women Empowerment, Ending Child Marriage, Ending FGM, and/ or Stopping GBV at all levels.
Submission deadline: 30th September 2025.
Merck Foundation Media Recognition Awards 2025 “Diabetes & Hypertension”, in partnership with Media Trust Board, Mauritius: Media representatives are invited to showcase their work through strong and influential messages to promote a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness about the prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension.
Submission deadline: 30th October 2025.
Merck Foundation Fashion Awards 2025 “Diabetes & Hypertension”, in partnershipwith Academy of Design and Innovation, Mauritius: All African Fashion Students and Designers are invited to create and share designs to deliver strong and influential messages to promote a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness about the prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension.
Submission deadline: 30th October 2025.
Merck Foundation Film Awards 2025 “Diabetes & Hypertension: All African Filmmakers, Students of Film Making Training Institutions, or Young Talents of Africa are invited to create and share a long or short FILMS, either drama, documentary, or docudrama to deliver strong and influential messages to promote a healthy lifestyle raise awareness about prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension.
Submission deadline: 30th October 2025.
Merck Foundation Song Awards 2025 “Diabetes & Hypertension”: All African Singers and Musical Artists are invited to create and share a SONG with the aim to promote a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness about the prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension.
Submission deadline: 30th October 2025.
We will continue to work closely with the Government of Mauritius and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Welfare to transform patient care, empower girls, and create a cultural shift for a healthier and more equitable future.
Kind Regards,
Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej,
CEO of Merck Foundation
President of “More Than a Mother” campaign