Merck Foundation Chairman and CEO with their Kenyan Alumni and Media Winners in Nairobi, Kenya.
Merck Foundation underscored their long-term commitment to inform, educate and raise awareness on sensitive social and health issues through ‘Our Africa TV Program’ during their high-level meeting with Mr. Joe Munene, Executive Director and Former Group CEO of the Standard Group, and his team. The discussion led by Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg Haverkamp, Chairman of Merck Foundation Board Of Trustees and myself. I was pleased to meet Mr. Joe Munene, our long-term partner, to discuss the impact of our first-ever TV program ‘Our Africa by Merck Foundation’. I strongly believe that media has a significant power to reach every household and be the voice of the voiceless. Through ‘Our Africa TV Program’, our aim is to raise awareness and create a culture shift across Africa on issues such as: Breaking Infertility Stigma, Importance of early detection & prevention of Diabetes, Supporting Girl Education, Ending Child Marriage, Stopping Gender-Based Violence, Promoting a Healthy Lifestyle, Ending Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), Gender-Based Violence (GBV), Sustainability, and many more.
I am very excited to announce that “Our Africa” will be aired on KTN Channel, every Saturday at 5:00 pm & and repeated every Thursday at 6:30 am. Our Africa by Merck Foundation’ is a pan-African TV program that is conceptualized, produced, directed, and co-hosted by me, 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. Merck Foundation through “Our Africa” TV program, has established the first ‘Fashion and Art community with Purpose’ community across 24 countries to the voice of the voiceless break the silence and be about many critical and sensitive social and health issues in Africa and beyond.
Watch the Promo of ‘Our Africa by Merck Foundation’ here:
During our high-level meeting, the rising incidence of Diabetes & Hypertension was also discussed, and we also played our First Animation Film on Diabetes Awareness, ‘Sugar-Free Jude’. ‘Sugar Free Jude’ is the first Animation Film and an adaptation of the children’s storybooks released by Merck Foundation to raise awareness about Diabetes and promote Healthy Lifestyle, amongst children and youth in Africa and beyond. Through this, Merck Foundation wants to communicate an important message that diabetes can be prevented and managed with lifestyle modifications like going sugar-free, eating healthy, exercising regularly, stopping smoking, and limiting alcohol intake.
Watch the “Sugar Free Jude” Animation film here:
Mr. Joe Munene, along with his senior team members, conducted a comprehensive tour of their premises for us. During the tour, we exchanged insights on the most recent advancements in communication and printing technologies. The media conglomerate also organized a TV interview with both Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp and me for the show ‘World Report’ on KTN Channel where they emphasized on the impact of Merck Foundation programs highlighting the important issues of girls’ education, women empowerment, and healthcare capacity building in Africa; and also, a Radio interview for the show ‘Spice Drive’ on Spice FM where we discussed ‘Our Africa TV Program’.
Watch the interview for the ‘World Report’ show on KTN Channel:
Watch the interview for the show ‘Spice Drive’ on Spice FM:
Kind Regards,
Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej,
CEO of Merck Foundation
President of “More Than a Mother” Campaign
