{"id":9670,"date":"2026-06-04T15:02:34","date_gmt":"2026-06-04T11:02:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?p=9670"},"modified":"2026-06-04T15:02:58","modified_gmt":"2026-06-04T11:02:58","slug":"how-i-built-influence-across-50-countries-without-political-power-or-endless-resources","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?p=9670","title":{"rendered":"How I Built Influence Across 50+ Countries Without Political Power or Endless Resources"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Influence is often misunderstood. Many believe it comes from titles, political authority, or control over unlimited resources. My experience has been the opposite. The most durable influence I have built across more than 50 countries , working closely with their First Ladies , Presidents&nbsp; and Ministers,&nbsp; did not come from power or control<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">over huge budget&nbsp; , in fact it came from trust,&nbsp; transparency and loyalty .<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I never entered rooms as a political actor . I entered as a dedicated partner. That single distinction shaped everything that followed.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The First Principle: Neutrality Is Not Weakness<\/strong><\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Operating across countries, cultures, and governments requires a position that is both clear and disciplined. I made an early decision: I would remain politically neutral at all times.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Neutrality is not silence or weakness . It is focus.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Therefore ; I developed \u201cPolitical Neutrality \u201c declaration as part of Merck foundation guidelines .<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It means:<\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>You do not align yourself or your organization\u00a0 with political agendas , we have a higher purpose .<\/li>\n\n<li>You do not comment on internal political dynamics. It is not our\u00a0 objective.<\/li>\n\n<li>You anchor every conversation in shared human priorities, this is our only mission.<\/li><\/ul><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Health, education, women empowerment\u2014these are universal. When you stay anchored in them, doors open across borders that would otherwise remain closed.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Neutrality builds something very rare:&nbsp;<strong>access without resistance<\/strong>.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Access with TRUST.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The Second Principle: Start With Listening, Not Proposing<\/strong><\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most people try to influence by arriving with solutions and complicated strategy papers and call for action.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I do totally the opposite.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In every country, my first objective is to understand:<\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>What are the real priorities?<\/li>\n\n<li>What are the sensitivities?<\/li>\n\n<li>What has failed before\u2014and why?<\/li><\/ul><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Listening is strategic. It signals respect and allows you to align your initiatives with existing national visions rather than imposing external ideas.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When people feel understood, they become open. When they become open, collaboration becomes natural.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The Third Principle: Align With National Pride, Not External Pressure<\/strong><\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Influence fails when it feels imposed.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every country has its own identity, pride, and priorities. They have talents, potential&nbsp; and success stories and not only challenges. If your work ignores that, it will not last.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Instead of positioning initiatives as external programs, I have to consider the following :<\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Supporting national goals<\/li>\n\n<li>Amplifying local success<\/li>\n\n<li>Enabling sustainable, long-term impact<\/li><\/ul><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This shift changes perception completely. You are no longer \u201cbringing something in.\u201d You are&nbsp;<strong>building something together<\/strong>.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The Fourth Principle: Build smart and active Partnerships and Advance Capacity&nbsp; , Not Dependency, Sponsorship or Donations .<\/strong><\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">True influence does not create reliance\u2014it creates ownership .<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From the beginning, I focused on partnerships that:<\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Empower local stakeholders<\/li>\n\n<li>Transfer knowledge<\/li>\n\n<li>Build capacity<\/li>\n\n<li>Continue independently over time<\/li><\/ul><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This approach requires patience. It is slower at the beginning, but far stronger and more sustainable and much more rewarding in the long term.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When partners feel ownership and advance thier capabilities , they defend, expand, and sustain the work\u2014even when you are not present.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That is when influence becomes real.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The Fifth Principle: Consistency Builds Credibility and Trust.<\/strong><\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In global work, reputation travels faster than you do.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">People observe:<\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Do you deliver what you promise?<\/li>\n\n<li>Are you consistent in your message?<\/li>\n\n<li>Do you maintain the same quality standards everywhere?<\/li>\n\n<li>Are you available and fully engaged , not only after visibility at a single event or photo opportunity.<\/li><\/ul><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Consistency is what transforms a single successful initiative into a trusted platform across multiple countries.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Credibility is not built through statements. It is built through repeated, aligned efforts&nbsp; over time.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The Sixth Principle: Respect Cultural Intelligence<\/strong><\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What works in one country may not work in another.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Influence requires cultural awareness at a very detailed level:<\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Communication styles<\/li>\n\n<li>Decision-making structures<\/li>\n\n<li>Social norms and expectations<\/li><\/ul><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Respecting these differences is not about adaptation alone\u2014it is about&nbsp;<strong>precision and emotional intelligence.<\/strong><\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you understand the context deeply, your message becomes relevant, and your presence becomes welcomed.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The Seventh Principle: Protect Your Position Carefully so you can protect your relationships.<\/strong><\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Access at high levels is fragile.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One misstep\u2014one statement, one perceived alignment\u2014one wrong contact can close doors across multiple countries.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I maintain strict personal rules:<\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>No political commentary<\/li>\n\n<li>No public positioning on internal matters<\/li>\n\n<li>Clear focus on humanitarian and development objectives<\/li>\n\n<li>No sharing data , contacts or work details<\/li>\n\n<li>No to all opportunistic partnership proposals.<\/li><\/ul><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This discipline protects long-term influence., it is very sensitive.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>What Most People Get Wrong About Influence<\/strong><\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many believe influence comes from visibility.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No no no \u2026.Visibility helps\u2014but it is never enough.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Real influence is built on:<\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Trust and Credibility.<\/li>\n\n<li>Reliability<\/li>\n\n<li>Personal engagement<\/li>\n\n<li>Daily availability<\/li>\n\n<li>Alignment<\/li>\n\n<li>Respect<\/li><\/ul><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is quiet, often invisible and demanding , but extremely powerful.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By the way: it requires Work- Life fusion and&nbsp; understanding the power of small decisions.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>My Personal Framework<\/strong><\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trust is not something I try to \u201ccreate.\u201d<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It comes naturally from how I engage with my partners\u2014with sincerity, respect, and a genuine interest in their success.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Any framework or structure I use simply ensures that this care is reflected consistently in my decisions across my organization.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If I had to summarize my approach into a simple framework, it would be this:<\/p><ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Stay neutral<\/strong>\u00a0to remain welcome everywhere<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Listen first<\/strong>\u00a0to understand before acting<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Align locally<\/strong>\u00a0to build relevance<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Partner deeply<\/strong>\u00a0to create ownership<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Deliver consistently<\/strong>\u00a0to build credibility<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Respect culture<\/strong>\u00a0to gain acceptance<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Protect your position<\/strong>\u00a0to sustain access<\/li><\/ol><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Influence without power is not a limitation\u2014it is a strategy.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Power can open doors quickly.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trust keeps them open for a lifetime.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And in my line of global work, longevity is everything.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most importantly ; personally :&nbsp; don\u2019t see relationships and influence as strategy.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I genuinely care about my partners and their accomplishments.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many argue , this is the secret to this influence !!!!<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Attached photos of f Merck foundation First Ladies Initiative-MFFLi who also are Ambassdor\u2019s of MF more than a Mother \u201c campaign&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/rashakelej.substack.com\/p\/www.merck-foundation.com\">www.merck-foundation.com<\/a><\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">CEO of Merck foundation<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">President of Merck foundation First Ladies Initiative -MFFLI.<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/4f872529-6d66-4f4f-b5b5-09e6ec598f2e_1600x1066-1024x682.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9671\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/4f872529-6d66-4f4f-b5b5-09e6ec598f2e_1600x1066-1024x682.webp 1024w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/4f872529-6d66-4f4f-b5b5-09e6ec598f2e_1600x1066-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/4f872529-6d66-4f4f-b5b5-09e6ec598f2e_1600x1066-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/4f872529-6d66-4f4f-b5b5-09e6ec598f2e_1600x1066-600x400.webp 600w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/4f872529-6d66-4f4f-b5b5-09e6ec598f2e_1600x1066.webp 1456w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!1nQo!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4f872529-6d66-4f4f-b5b5-09e6ec598f2e_1600x1066.jpeg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ef82a481-b046-4f6a-9896-7a9bc317d467_1600x1066-1024x682.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9672\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ef82a481-b046-4f6a-9896-7a9bc317d467_1600x1066-1024x682.webp 1024w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ef82a481-b046-4f6a-9896-7a9bc317d467_1600x1066-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ef82a481-b046-4f6a-9896-7a9bc317d467_1600x1066-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ef82a481-b046-4f6a-9896-7a9bc317d467_1600x1066-600x400.webp 600w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ef82a481-b046-4f6a-9896-7a9bc317d467_1600x1066.webp 1456w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/d99f53ba-d4d3-4829-a66d-5a69dc302e60_1600x1066-1024x682.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9673\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/d99f53ba-d4d3-4829-a66d-5a69dc302e60_1600x1066-1024x682.webp 1024w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/d99f53ba-d4d3-4829-a66d-5a69dc302e60_1600x1066-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/d99f53ba-d4d3-4829-a66d-5a69dc302e60_1600x1066-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/d99f53ba-d4d3-4829-a66d-5a69dc302e60_1600x1066-600x400.webp 600w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/d99f53ba-d4d3-4829-a66d-5a69dc302e60_1600x1066.webp 1456w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"639\" src=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/d4a8e41f-8ef2-4d03-ad75-c5084ac52782_1600x999-1024x639.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9674\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/d4a8e41f-8ef2-4d03-ad75-c5084ac52782_1600x999-1024x639.webp 1024w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/d4a8e41f-8ef2-4d03-ad75-c5084ac52782_1600x999-300x187.webp 300w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/d4a8e41f-8ef2-4d03-ad75-c5084ac52782_1600x999-768x479.webp 768w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/d4a8e41f-8ef2-4d03-ad75-c5084ac52782_1600x999-600x375.webp 600w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/d4a8e41f-8ef2-4d03-ad75-c5084ac52782_1600x999.webp 1456w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"528\" src=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/c1943e2b-5e47-4576-a563-9f0b9e5aeb81_1600x825-1024x528.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9675\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/c1943e2b-5e47-4576-a563-9f0b9e5aeb81_1600x825-1024x528.webp 1024w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/c1943e2b-5e47-4576-a563-9f0b9e5aeb81_1600x825-300x155.webp 300w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/c1943e2b-5e47-4576-a563-9f0b9e5aeb81_1600x825-768x396.webp 768w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/c1943e2b-5e47-4576-a563-9f0b9e5aeb81_1600x825-600x309.webp 600w, https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/c1943e2b-5e47-4576-a563-9f0b9e5aeb81_1600x825.webp 1456w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Influence is often misunderstood. Many believe it comes from titles, political authority, or control over unlimited resources. My experience has been the opposite. The most durable influence I have built across more than 50 countries , working closely with their First Ladies , Presidents&nbsp; and Ministers,&nbsp; did not come from power or control over huge [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9671,"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":[65],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9670","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-beyond-power-leadership-global-influence-and-impact"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How I Built Influence Across 50+ Countries Without Political Power or Endless Resources | 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=9670\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How I Built Influence Across 50+ Countries Without Political Power or Endless Resources | Rasha Kelej\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Influence is often misunderstood. Many believe it comes from titles, political authority, or control over unlimited resources. My experience has been the opposite. The most durable influence I have built across more than 50 countries , working closely with their First Ladies , Presidents&nbsp; and Ministers,&nbsp; did not come from power or control over huge [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?p=9670\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Rasha Kelej\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/KelejRasha\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-06-04T11:02:34+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-06-04T11:02:58+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/4f872529-6d66-4f4f-b5b5-09e6ec598f2e_1600x1066.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1456\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"970\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Rasha Kelej\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@Rashakelej\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Rashakelej\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Rasha Kelej\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?p=9670#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?p=9670\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Rasha Kelej\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/#\/schema\/person\/429e6f8aa2355c3af69519b29a0fe3a5\"},\"headline\":\"How I Built Influence Across 50+ Countries Without Political Power or Endless Resources\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-04T11:02:34+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-06-04T11:02:58+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?p=9670\"},\"wordCount\":1007,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?p=9670#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/4f872529-6d66-4f4f-b5b5-09e6ec598f2e_1600x1066.webp\",\"articleSection\":[\"Beyond Power; Leadership , Global Influence and Impact\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?p=9670#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?p=9670\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?p=9670\",\"name\":\"How I Built Influence Across 50+ Countries Without Political Power or Endless Resources | Rasha Kelej\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?p=9670#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?p=9670#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/4f872529-6d66-4f4f-b5b5-09e6ec598f2e_1600x1066.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-04T11:02:34+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-06-04T11:02:58+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?p=9670#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?p=9670\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?p=9670#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/4f872529-6d66-4f4f-b5b5-09e6ec598f2e_1600x1066.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/4f872529-6d66-4f4f-b5b5-09e6ec598f2e_1600x1066.webp\",\"width\":1456,\"height\":970},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?p=9670#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"How I Built Influence Across 50+ Countries Without Political Power or Endless Resources\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/\",\"name\":\"Rasha Kelej, CEO Merck Foundation\",\"description\":\"CEO Merck Foundation\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Rasha Kelej, CEO Merck Foundation\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Rasha-Kelej-129-scaled-1.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Rasha-Kelej-129-scaled-1.jpg\",\"width\":1600,\"height\":1051,\"caption\":\"Rasha Kelej, CEO Merck Foundation\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/KelejRasha\/\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/Rashakelej\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/rasha_kelej\/\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/rasha-kelej-a5605022\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCO_bN_T_NodcOYwcPjknaog\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/#\/schema\/person\/429e6f8aa2355c3af69519b29a0fe3a5\",\"name\":\"Rasha Kelej\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/16034076025f785d0d38b5f418e84962d372eb1b565e7feba59f862e45660dcd?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/16034076025f785d0d38b5f418e84962d372eb1b565e7feba59f862e45660dcd?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Rasha Kelej\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How I Built Influence Across 50+ Countries Without Political Power or Endless Resources | Rasha Kelej","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?p=9670","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"How I Built Influence Across 50+ Countries Without Political Power or Endless Resources | Rasha Kelej","og_description":"Influence is often misunderstood. Many believe it comes from titles, political authority, or control over unlimited resources. My experience has been the opposite. The most durable influence I have built across more than 50 countries , working closely with their First Ladies , Presidents&nbsp; and Ministers,&nbsp; did not come from power or control over huge [&hellip;]","og_url":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?p=9670","og_site_name":"Rasha Kelej","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/KelejRasha\/","article_published_time":"2026-06-04T11:02:34+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-06-04T11:02:58+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1456,"height":970,"url":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/4f872529-6d66-4f4f-b5b5-09e6ec598f2e_1600x1066.webp","type":"image\/webp"}],"author":"Rasha Kelej","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@Rashakelej","twitter_site":"@Rashakelej","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Rasha Kelej","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?p=9670#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?p=9670"},"author":{"name":"Rasha Kelej","@id":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/#\/schema\/person\/429e6f8aa2355c3af69519b29a0fe3a5"},"headline":"How I Built Influence Across 50+ Countries Without Political Power or Endless Resources","datePublished":"2026-06-04T11:02:34+00:00","dateModified":"2026-06-04T11:02:58+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?p=9670"},"wordCount":1007,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?p=9670#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/4f872529-6d66-4f4f-b5b5-09e6ec598f2e_1600x1066.webp","articleSection":["Beyond Power; Leadership , Global Influence and Impact"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?p=9670#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?p=9670","url":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?p=9670","name":"How I Built Influence Across 50+ Countries Without Political Power or Endless Resources | Rasha Kelej","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?p=9670#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?p=9670#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/4f872529-6d66-4f4f-b5b5-09e6ec598f2e_1600x1066.webp","datePublished":"2026-06-04T11:02:34+00:00","dateModified":"2026-06-04T11:02:58+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?p=9670#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?p=9670"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?p=9670#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/4f872529-6d66-4f4f-b5b5-09e6ec598f2e_1600x1066.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/4f872529-6d66-4f4f-b5b5-09e6ec598f2e_1600x1066.webp","width":1456,"height":970},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?p=9670#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"How I Built Influence Across 50+ Countries Without Political Power or Endless Resources"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/","name":"Rasha Kelej, CEO Merck Foundation","description":"CEO Merck Foundation","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/#organization","name":"Rasha Kelej, CEO Merck Foundation","url":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Rasha-Kelej-129-scaled-1.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Rasha-Kelej-129-scaled-1.jpg","width":1600,"height":1051,"caption":"Rasha Kelej, CEO Merck Foundation"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/KelejRasha\/","https:\/\/x.com\/Rashakelej","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/rasha_kelej\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/rasha-kelej-a5605022\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCO_bN_T_NodcOYwcPjknaog"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/#\/schema\/person\/429e6f8aa2355c3af69519b29a0fe3a5","name":"Rasha Kelej","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/16034076025f785d0d38b5f418e84962d372eb1b565e7feba59f862e45660dcd?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/16034076025f785d0d38b5f418e84962d372eb1b565e7feba59f862e45660dcd?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Rasha Kelej"}}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9670","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9670"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9670\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9677,"href":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9670\/revisions\/9677"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/9671"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9670"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9670"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9670"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}