{"id":9524,"date":"2026-04-29T12:06:28","date_gmt":"2026-04-29T08:06:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?p=9524"},"modified":"2026-04-29T12:09:03","modified_gmt":"2026-04-29T08:09:03","slug":"message-from-ceo-of-merck-foundation-dr-rasha-kelej-on-declaring-the-gabon-first-lady-as-ambassador-of-more-than-a-mother-to-build-healthcare-capacity-break-infertility-stigma-a","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?p=9524","title":{"rendered":"Message from CEO of Merck Foundation, Dr. Rasha Kelej, on declaring the Gabon First Lady as Ambassador of \u201cMore Than a Mother\u201d to build healthcare capacity, break infertility stigma, and support girl education"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Main_Merck-Foundation-Chairman-and-CEO-together-with-Gabon-First-Lady-during-t-1-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9525\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Main_Merck-Foundation-Chairman-and-CEO-together-with-Gabon-First-Lady-during-t-1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Main_Merck-Foundation-Chairman-and-CEO-together-with-Gabon-First-Lady-during-t-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Main_Merck-Foundation-Chairman-and-CEO-together-with-Gabon-First-Lady-during-t-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Main_Merck-Foundation-Chairman-and-CEO-together-with-Gabon-First-Lady-during-t-1-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Main_Merck-Foundation-Chairman-and-CEO-together-with-Gabon-First-Lady-during-t-1-600x338.jpg 600w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Main_Merck-Foundation-Chairman-and-CEO-together-with-Gabon-First-Lady-during-t-1.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong><em>Merck Foundation Chairman and CEO, together with Gabon First Lady during their visit to Gabon.<\/em><\/strong><\/p><p class=\"has-text-align-center\">We officially launched our programs in partnership with&nbsp;<strong>H.E. Madam ZITA OLIGUI NGUEMA, First Lady of the Gabonese Republic<\/strong>, that we started in 2024 with the aim to transform patient care, build healthcare capacity, break the stigma of infertility, empower women, and support girl education in Gabon and the rest of Africa.<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/360-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9526\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/360-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/360-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/360-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/360-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/360-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/360.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><p class=\"has-text-align-center\">The program was chaired by the\u00a0<strong>First Lady of Gabon, H.E. Madam ZITA OLIGUI NGUEMA, Chairman of Merck Foundation Board of Trustees, Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp, and myself<\/strong>. The program took place at the\u00a0<strong>State House, Gabon.<\/strong><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"696\" src=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/549-1024x696.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9527\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/549-1024x696.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/549-300x204.jpg 300w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/549-768x522.jpg 768w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/549-1536x1044.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/549-600x408.jpg 600w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/549.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><p>It was a great honor to meet my dear sister,\u00a0<strong>H.E. Madam ZITA OLIGUI NGUEMA, First Lady of Gabon<\/strong>, and to officially declare her as the Ambassador of the \u2018Merck Foundation More Than a Mother\u2019 campaign.\u00a0I am very proud to share that through our partnership, we have provided\u00a0<strong>16 scholarships for our local healthcare providers who will be the future healthcare experts of Gabon<\/strong>, who have either graduated, are undergoing, or will be starting soon the Merck Foundation scholarships for training in critical and underserved specialties such as Fertility, Embryology, Oncology, Diabetes, and Hypertension.<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1114-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9528\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1114-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1114-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1114-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1114-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1114-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1114.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><p>We have provided more than\u00a0<strong>2,600 scholarships for healthcare providers from 52 countries in 44 critical and underserved medical specialties.\u00a0<\/strong>Also, I am very happy to share that together with the First Lady of Gabon, we are also supporting girl education by providing annual scholarships to support the education of 40 high-performing yet underprivileged schoolgirls, until they graduate, so that they can reach their potential and achieve their dreams.<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/261-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9529\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/261-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/261-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/261-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/261-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/261-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/261.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><p>During the launch program, the beneficiaries of the&nbsp;<strong>Educating Linda program<\/strong>&nbsp;were also present, where a few of them shared inspiring testimonies on how the scholarships have changed their lives. I really believe that when girls are educated, their countries become more powerful, stronger, and prosperous.<\/p><p>In partnership with the First Lady of Gabon, we have launched seven children\u2019s storybooks:&nbsp;<strong>\u201cMore Than a Mother\u201d, \u201cEducating Linda\u201d, \u201cJackline\u2019s Rescue\u201d, \u201cNot Who You Are\u201d, \u201cRide into the Future\u201d, \u201cSugar Free Jude\u201d, and \u201cMark\u2019s Pressure\u201d.<\/strong>&nbsp;These books address critical social and health issues for young children, by signing a few copies of the storybooks by the First Lady of Gabon, Merck Foundation Chairman, and myself. Later, thousands of copies of these storybooks will be distributed to schoolchildren.<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/12-1024x683.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9530\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/12-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/12-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/12-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/12-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/12-600x400.jpeg 600w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/12.jpeg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><p>We have conducted\u00a0<strong>two editions of our Online Health Media Training for Gabonese journalists<\/strong>\u00a0in order to empower them to raise awareness about sensitive issues like breaking infertility stigma, supporting girl education, stopping GBV, ending child marriage and FGM, and raising awareness about diabetes and hypertension prevention and early detection. Together we also announced the<strong>\u00a0Call for Applications for our 8 important annual Awards for Media, Musicians, Fashion Designers, Filmmakers, and new potential talents in these fields.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/158-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9531\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/158-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/158-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/158-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/158-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/158-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/158.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><p>I encourage all young talents to apply for our Awards. You can apply&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/merck-foundation.com\/Awards-Online-Application-Form\">here<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/strong>Alternatively, entries van also be sent to us at&nbsp;submit@merck-foundation.co<\/p><p><strong>Kind regards,<br>Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej (Ret.)<br>CEO of Merck Foundation<br>President of \u201cMore Than a Mother\u201d Campaign<\/strong><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/450-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9532\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/450-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/450-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/450-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/450-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/450-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/450.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"637\" src=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/644-1024x637.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/644-1024x637.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/644-300x187.jpg 300w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/644-768x478.jpg 768w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/644-1536x955.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/644-600x373.jpg 600w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/644.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/734-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9534\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/734-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/734-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/734-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/734-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/734-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/734.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/829-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9535\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/829-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/829-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/829-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/829-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/829-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/829.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/919-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9536\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/919-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/919-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/919-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/919-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/919-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/919.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1015-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9537\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1015-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1015-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1015-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1015-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1015-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1015.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1312-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9538\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1312-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1312-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1312-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1312-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1312-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1312.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1415-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9539\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1415-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1415-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1415-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1415-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1415-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1415.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Merck Foundation Chairman and CEO, together with Gabon First Lady during their visit to Gabon. We officially launched our programs in partnership with&nbsp;H.E. Madam ZITA OLIGUI NGUEMA, First Lady of the Gabonese Republic, that we started in 2024 with the aim to transform patient care, build healthcare capacity, break the stigma of infertility, empower women, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9525,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9524","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-message"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Message from CEO of Merck Foundation, Dr. Rasha Kelej, on declaring the Gabon First Lady as Ambassador of \u201cMore Than a Mother\u201d to build healthcare capacity, break infertility stigma, and support girl education | Rasha Kelej<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?p=9524\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Message from CEO of Merck Foundation, Dr. Rasha Kelej, on declaring the Gabon First Lady as Ambassador of \u201cMore Than a Mother\u201d to build healthcare capacity, break infertility stigma, and support girl education | Rasha Kelej\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Merck Foundation Chairman and CEO, together with Gabon First Lady during their visit to Gabon. We officially launched our programs in partnership with&nbsp;H.E. 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