{"id":9111,"date":"2026-04-14T16:58:52","date_gmt":"2026-04-14T12:58:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?p=9111"},"modified":"2026-04-14T17:00:34","modified_gmt":"2026-04-14T13:00:34","slug":"message-from-ceo-of-merck-foundation-senator-rasha-kelej-on-conducting-the-alumni-summit-in-cote-divoire-to-launch-their-educating-linda-program-in-partnership-with-ministry-of-education","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?p=9111","title":{"rendered":"Message from CEO of Merck Foundation, Senator, Rasha Kelej on conducting the Alumni Summit in C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire to launch their Educating Linda program in partnership with Ministry of Education"},"content":{"rendered":"

Merck Foundation Chairman and CEO with Heads of Fertility Societies of Francophone Countries during the Merck Foundation Annual Summit in Cote d’Ivoire.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>

Merck Foundation conducted C\u00f4te D\u2019Ivoire Summit 2024 in Abidjan<\/strong>, chaired by Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg Haverkamp, Chairman of Merck Foundation Board of Trustees and myself.<\/strong> The Summit was conducted in partnership with Medical Societies and GIERAF. <\/strong>It was attended by the Presidents of Medical Societies of C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire and Presidents of Fertility Societies of 14 Francophone African Countries.<\/strong>  The Summit was a part of our efforts to underscore our long-term commitment to support to contribute to transforming patient care landscape in Africa, with a special focus on Francophone African countries, including C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire, together with our new partners, the C\u00f4te d’Ivoire Medical Societies and Academia<\/strong> and our existing partners like the Fertility Societies of French- speaking African countries such as Cameroon, DRC, Togo, Benin, Senegal, Burkina Faso and Mali<\/strong>.<\/p>

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I am proud to share that we have till today provided more than\u00a01810\u00a0scholarships\u00a0for young doctors from\u00a052\u00a0countries in\u00a042\u00a0critical and underserved medical specialties<\/strong>. Out of which more than\u00a0350 scholarships\u00a0were provided for young doctors from 14 Francophone African nations.<\/strong>\u00a0This is a huge number and a great achievement.\u00a0Also, we have provided more than\u00a0100 scholarships\u00a0in Fertility and Embryology<\/strong>\u00a0clinical training, in partnership with\u00a0GIERAF and African Fertility Societies to doctors from 14 Francophone countries.<\/strong>\u00a0Out of which\u00a07 scholarships<\/strong>\u00a0have bene provided to young doctors of C\u00f4te D\u2019Ivoire, as a part of our\u00a0\u201cMerck Foundation More Than a Mother\u201d Campaign<\/strong>, which is a strong movement that aims to empower women living with infertility stigma through access to information, education, change of mindset, and economic empowerment.\u00a0\u201cMerck Foundation More Than a Mother\u201d\u00a0<\/strong>defines interventions to build quality and equitable Reproductive and Fertility Care Capacity, Break Infertility Stigma and Raise Awareness about Infertility Prevention and Male Infertility.<\/p>

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Merck Foundation has also been empowering childless and infertile women through our\u00a0\u201cEmpowering Berna\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0initiative under our\u00a0\u201cMore Than a Mother\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0movement. This initiative helps women who cannot be treated for infertility anymore by helping them get trained to establish small businesses so that they can be independent and rebuild their lives. Through\u00a0\u2018Empowering Berna\u2019,<\/strong>\u00a0the lives of many infertile women have been transformed in many African countries like\u00a0Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Central African Republic, Niger, Malawi, and many more.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>It\u2019s all about giving every woman the respect and the help she deserves to lead a fulfilling life, with or without a child.\u00a0Over the past seven years, we have worked closely with First Ladies of more than\u00a024 African countries as Ambassadors of \u201cMerck Foundation More Than a Mother\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0and we also work very closely with\u00a0Ministries of Health, Education, Information, Communication, Gender, Academia, Media and Art societies<\/strong>\u00a0in\u00a052 countries.<\/strong><\/p>

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Merck Foundation also conducted the First Edition of Health Media Training<\/strong> for the Media Representatives of C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire, in partnership with National Union of Journalists of C\u00f4ted’Ivoire (UNJCI).<\/strong> The training was conducted to emphasize on the important role that media plays to influence our society to create a cultural shift with the aim to address wide range of social and health issues such as: Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education, Women Empowerment, Ending Child Marriage, Ending FGM, and\/ or Stopping GBV at all levels; to underscore the importance of Empowering Girls and Women in Education and to understand the Influence of infertility stigma and other social issues like GBV, Child Marriage, FGM etc. on women and couples – Social and Psychological Impact. Apart from this, it also included a session on the importance of increasing the awareness of early detection and prevention of Diabetes and Hypertension. The training session was addressed by top Medical and Media Experts and was attended by over 50 journalists from Abidjan.<\/strong><\/p>

During the Training Session, \u2018More Than Mother\u2019, <\/strong>The First Animation FILM to emphasize strong family values of love and respect from a young age which will reflect on eliminating the stigma of infertility and the resulted domestic violence in the future, was also screened.<\/p>

Watch the<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cMore Than a Mother\u201d Animation Film:<\/strong><\/p>

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