Firstly, Happy International Women’s Day to all the women in the world and to the men who support and empower them. It is a great honor to receive The Global She Achievers Award 2024, that too on the very important occasion of International Women’s Day. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Business Executive Team for acknowledging our efforts since past 12 years to empower women in STEM, support girl education and transforming public healthcare in Africa and beyond at their Global She Achievers Awards 2024 for our efforts to empower women in STEM, and girls in girls in education, and building healthcare capacity in Africa and beyond. The awards ceremony took place recently in Dubai, UAE.
We at Merck Foundation, together with First Ladies of Africa, are marking Women’s Day through our “More Than a Mother” campaign, which is a strong and unique movement that aims to empower women living with infertility stigma through access to information, education, change of mindset, and economic empowerment.
Together with Africa’s First Ladies, Merck Foundation has contributed to the future of 425 of girls by providing scholarships to continue their education and also providing essential school items for thousands of schoolgirls through our “Educating Linda” program in many African countries such as Burundi, Malawi, Ghana, The Gambia, Nigeria, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger and more. Moreover, Merck Foundation has also benefitted 1000’s of girls through their awareness campaigns which includes releasing many inspiring children’s storybooks, animation films and songs to support girl education and end child marriage.
It gives me immense pleasure to witness that, together with Africa’s First Ladies, Ministries of Health, Gender, Education and Communication, we are impacting the lives of people in the most disadvantaged communities in Africa and beyond, in partnership, and this award will only motivate me to do more and more.
Kind Regards,
Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej,
CEO of Merck Foundation