{"id":9512,"date":"2026-04-29T11:45:38","date_gmt":"2026-04-29T07:45:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?p=9512"},"modified":"2026-04-29T11:46:27","modified_gmt":"2026-04-29T07:46:27","slug":"message-from-dr-rasha-kelej-ceo-of-merck-foundation-on-marking-the-10th-anniversary-of-the-more-than-a-mother-movement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?p=9512","title":{"rendered":"Message from Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation, on marking the 10th anniversary of the \u201cMore Than a Mother\u201d Movement"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/figure>

I am truly proud to mark the\u00a010th Anniversary of \u201cMore Than a Mother\u201d movement<\/strong>, it has been an extraordinary journey, one that is very close to my heart.<\/p>

\"\"<\/figure>

I created\u00a0\u201cMore Than a Mother\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0to break the stigma around infertility and to empower women living with infertility through access to information, education, health and change of mindset.<\/p>

\"\"<\/figure>

Over the last 10 years, I have been honoured to work closely with\u00a0over 33 African and Asian First Ladies of countries including Zimbabwe, Zambia, Sierra Leone, Senegal, S\u00e3o Tom\u00e9 & Pr\u00edncipe, Nigeria, Mozambique, Maldives, Malawi, Liberia, Kenya, Ghana, Gambia, Gabon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Cabo Verde, Burundi, Botswana, and Angola as Ambassadors of \u201cMerck Foundation More than a Mother\u201d\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>to build reproductive and fertility care capacity, break infertility stigma and support girl education.<\/p>

\"\"<\/figure>

As a part of the\u00a0\u201cMore Than a Mother\u201d movement<\/strong>, Merck Foundation,\u00a0together with African and Asian First Ladies<\/strong>, and their key partners including\u00a0Ministries of Health, Information, Education and Gender, academia, policymakers, international fertility societies, media, and art, has been breaking infertility stigma, raising awareness about male infertility,\u00a0<\/strong>and making history by reshaping the landscape of fertility and reproductive care across Africa and beyond.<\/p>

\"\"<\/figure>

As a part of the\u00a0\u201cMore Than a Mother\u201d movement<\/strong>, Merck Foundation,\u00a0together with African and Asian First Ladies<\/strong>, and their key partners including\u00a0Ministries of Health, Information, Education and Gender, academia, policymakers, international fertility societies, media, and art, has been breaking infertility stigma, raising awareness about male infertility,\u00a0<\/strong>and making history by reshaping the landscape of fertility and reproductive care across Africa and beyond.<\/p>

\"\"<\/figure>

Moreover, we have also supported the establishment of the first-ever Public IVF centres in many countries including Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, Niger, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Mauritius, Uganda and Guinea,<\/strong> by providing scholarships to train their IVF and fertility care teams.<\/p>

\"\"<\/figure>

We have also been empowering childless and infertile women through our\u00a0\u201cEmpowering Berna\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0initiative under the\u00a0\u201cMore Than a Mother\u201d movement.<\/strong>\u00a0This 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>, the lives of many infertile women have been transformed in many African countries\u00a0like Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Central African Republic, Niger, Malawi, and many more.<\/strong><\/p>

\"\"<\/figure>

It\u2019s all about giving every woman the respect and the help she deserves to lead a fulfilling life, with or without a child.<\/p>

\"\"<\/figure>

Moreover, Merck Foundation has trained more than 3700 media representatives from more than 35 countries<\/strong> to raise community awareness and break the stigma around infertility and infertile and childless women.<\/p>

In partnership with Africa\u2019s First Ladies, we have also launched \u2018More Than Mother\u2019 Children\u2019s storybook<\/strong> 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. The storybooks have been localized for each country and in three languages, English, French and Portuguese to better connect with the young readers. The book has also been adapted to an animation film.<\/p>

Watch More Than a Mother Animation Film here:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>

\n