Merck Foundation

Merck Foundation aims to improve the health and well-being of people and advance their lives through science and technology. Not intended for US & CA audiences.

[Merck Foundation @MerckFoundation]

"I am very happy to share the “Ray of Hope” animation film, in partnership with my dear sisters, the African First Ladies. Through this beautiful children’s animation film and storybook, we aim to raise awareness about the early detection and treatment of childhood cancer.

Together, we continue to bring a true Ray of Hope to children and families affected by cancer."

Senator, Prof. Dr. Rasha Kelej
CEO of Merck Foundation

https://t.co/TI0OeKWiH6

[Merck Foundation @MerckFoundation]

“I welcome you all to hear the success story of Dr. Yuanita Yvonne Oduor, Merck Foundation Alumni, Kenya (One year Postgraduate Diploma in Diabetes) from the Merck Foundation Nationwide Diabetes Blue Points Program Alumni."

Senator, Prof. Dr. Rasha Kelej
CEO of Merck Foundation

https://t.co/YypWUMd1HW

[Merck Foundation @MerckFoundation]

"It was a honour to meet H.E. Mrs. KAONE BOKO, The First Lady of Botswana and appoint her as an Ambassador of Merck Foundation “More Than a Mother” Campaign and start our long term partnership to scale up programs.

Together, we will continue to transform the patient care landscape by building healthcare & media capacity, break infertility stigma and support Girl Education in Botswana.

Stay tuned for exciting updates!"

Senator, Prof. Dr. Rasha Kelej
CEO of Merck Foundation

[Merck Foundation @MerckFoundation]

"All of us must come together to say “No to Infertility Stigma.” This is a strong and urgent message we are proudly echoing across Africa and beyond — from the heart of our communities to the rest of the world.

Together, we are working at every level to empower women, to ensure they are seen, heard, and supported — regardless of their fertility status.

Let’s keep using our voices to break the silence, challenge the stigma, and uplift every woman’s journey.

Stay tuned for more!"

Senator, Prof. Dr. Rasha Kelej
CEO of Merck Foundation
President of Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative (MFFLI)

https://t.co/HRA7AkPza4

[Merck Foundation @MerckFoundation]

"I welcome you all to watch the testimonial of Dr. Lilian Mbau, Merck Foundation Alumni, (one-year Postgraduate Diploma in Preventative Cardiovascular Medicine - 2020) from Kenya."

Dr. Rasha Kelej
CEO of Merck Foundation

https://t.co/IiRfaDJCSx

[Merck Foundation @MerckFoundation]

"I am happy to share this beautiful song from Ghana, which is part of Merck Foundation More Than a Mother movement. This song is close to my heart, as I have personally conceptualized this song along with two very talented singers, Cwesi Oteng & Adina from Ghana. This song and music addresses the stigma of infertility, and we have produced this to sensitize African communities to #saynotoinfertilitystigma and to raise awareness about women’s role in society, which is beyond only being mothers."

Senator, Prof. Dr. Rasha Kelej
CEO, Merck Foundation

https://t.co/8B5wIMzsom

[Merck Foundation @MerckFoundation]

"I am excited to share a snippet of the impactful speech delivered by my dear sister, H.E. Dr. DÉBORA KATISA CARVALHO, First Lady of Cabo Verde and Ambassador of Merck Foundation’s “More Than a Mother” campaign, during the 13th Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary (Online) 2026."

Watch the full video here: https://t.co/U3yiF3YzmP

Senator, Prof. Dr. Rasha Kelej
CEO, Merck Foundation

[Merck Foundation @MerckFoundation]

"I am honored to share with you some glimpses from the official launch of Merck Foundation programs in Kenya. It was a great honor to visit my dear sister, H.E. Mrs. RACHEL RUTO, the First Lady of Kenya and recognize her for her great efforts as the Ambassador of the 'Merck Foundation More Than a Mother' and to officially launch our long-term partnership to build healthcare capacity, support girls' education and break the infertility stigma in Kenya.

Though our long term partnership, we have provided more than 328 scholarships to local Kenyan healthcare providers in 44 critical and underserved medical specialties. These doctors, who are Merck Foundation Alumni are transforming the patient care landscape and building the healthcare capacity of Kenya.

I am also proud that, as part of the Educating Linda program, in partnership with Voice of Children Foundation of Kenya First Lady, we have provided 47 Annual Scholarships and Grants to young girls from Kenya.

Together with the First Lady of Kenya, we also annually launch our 8 important awards for best media, film, fashion designs and songs. Together we have also conducted several editions of Merck Foundation Health Media Training Program, enabling Kenyan journalists to be equipped to be the voice of the voiceless and report responsibly and effectively on sensitive subjects including infertility, child marriage, gender-based violence, diabetes, and hypertension."

Senator, Prof. Dr. Rasha Kelej
CEO of Merck Foundation
President of “More Than a Mother”

[Merck Foundation @MerckFoundation]

"I invite you to read my latest leadership article.

Excellence Is a Moving Target.

Throughout my leadership journey, I have continuously reviewed, refined, and fine-tuned the way I work — my strategies, guidelines, processes, partnerships, communication, and even my own leadership style.

Not because they were failing.
Not because someone else was doing things better.
And not because I had lost confidence in what we had built.

I made these changes because the world and the narratives around us are constantly evolving — and because experience should shape the way we lead.

What worked exceptionally well five years ago may still work today. But I don't simply ask myself, "Does it still work?"

I ask, "Can I make it work even better?"

For me, fine-tuning is not necessarily about correcting something. There is an important difference between correcting failure and refining excellence.

In fact, I believe continuous improvement becomes even more important when you are successful. Success can become a dangerous comfort zone if it convinces us that the formula that brought us this far will automatically take us where we need to go next.

The higher our standards become, the more carefully we should examine them.

And when competing with others is no longer what drives us, there is still one competitor who will always remain: ourselves.

My greatest competitor is the standard I set for myself yesterday.

In my latest leadership article, "When Excellence Is Not the Finish Line," I share why I believe leaders should never wait for failure to drive improvement.

Because excellence itself demands evolution."

Read the full article:
https://t.co/GLqBSHrb5O

Senator, Prof. Dr. Rasha Kelej
CEO, Merck Foundation

[Merck Foundation @MerckFoundation]

"I invite you all to watch the inspiring success story of Dr. Life Zambezi from Zimbabwe, a Merck Foundation Diabetes & Hypertension Blue Points Program alumnus who received a Postgraduate Diploma in Diabetes and an MSc in Diabetes.

The Merck Foundation Nationwide Diabetes & Hypertension Blue Points Program aims to improve access to equitable and quality diabetes, endocrinology, and hypertension care across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Through UK universities, the programme provides scholarships to doctors from different provinces, counties, and districts, offering:

One-year Postgraduate Diploma programmes and two-year Master's Degree programmes in Diabetes, Endocrinology, Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, Cardiology, and Obesity in their respective countries, ensuring geographical coverage across the entire country.

One-year on-site clinical training programmes in Diabetes & Hypertension in India.

Additionally, French-, Portuguese-, and Spanish-speaking doctors from Africa, Asia, and Latin America are offered three-month online Master's courses, endorsed by Diabetes UK, in their respective languages.

The programme's impact so far:

More than 936 scholarships have been awarded to doctors from 44 countries as part of the Merck Foundation Nationwide Diabetes & Hypertension Blue Points Program.

Upon completing these courses, graduates are equipped to establish specialty clinics in the public sector of their respective countries.

Between 2012 and 2016, 30,000 medical university students benefited from the Clinical Diabetes and Hypertension Management Programme across nine countries: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Ghana, Angola, Mozambique, India, and Indonesia.

Can you imagine how many patients they will be able to help?

Each doctor can help at least 2,000 families per month.

Merck Foundation touches people's lives every day!

Congratulations to Dr. Life Zambezi and all our Merck Foundation alumni who are making a meaningful difference in their communities!"

Watch the success story here: https://t.co/nbER9hZesM

Senator, Prof. Dr. Rasha Kelej
CEO, Merck Foundation

[Merck Foundation @MerckFoundation]

"I am deeply honoured to be recognised among the 100 Most Influential African Women by Avance Media for the seventh consecutive year, alongside the Presidents of Tanzania and Namibia.

This recognition is not mine alone; it belongs to our entire team at Merck Foundation, our Ambassadors and partners, and the incredible healthcare professionals we work with across Africa and beyond.

Together, we have awarded hundreds of scholarships to doctors, strengthened healthcare capacity, and led advocacy movements such as "More Than a Mother" to break the stigma surrounding infertility and address other critical social and health issues affecting our communities.

I remain committed to raising awareness, empowering women and young people, and building a healthier and more equitable future for all.

I am truly grateful for this recognition, which inspires me to continue doing even more."

Senator, Prof. Dr. Rasha Kelej
CEO, Merck Foundation

[Merck Foundation @MerckFoundation]

"I am excited to share a snippet of the impactful speech delivered by my dear sister, H.E. Mrs. Kaone Boko, First Lady of Botswana and Ambassador of the Merck Foundation More Than a Mother campaign, during the 13th Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary (Online) 2026.

She expressed:

“Merck Foundation, together with my Office and our Ministry of Child Welfare and Basic Education, has provided specialized psychometric and diagnostic assessment tools to strengthen assessment and early intervention services, leading to improved outcomes for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This ensures that every child, regardless of ability, is protected, cared for, and nurtured to realize their full potential.

Education is not only about access to classrooms. It is about ensuring that every child is understood, supported, and empowered to thrive.

We are also working with our Ministry of Education to continue the Educating Linda scholarship program for 20 underprivileged but bright girls, enabling them to complete their school education, reach their full potential, and fulfil their dreams.

We are yet to revive the distribution of school supply kits to students to help them with their studies.

I am thankful to Merck Foundation for their support.”

Senator, Prof. Dr. Rasha Kelej
CEO of Merck Foundation

Watch the full video here: https://t.co/P7P994pJ7E

[Merck Foundation @MerckFoundation]

"It was a great honour to visit my dear sister, H.E. Amai Dr. Auxillia Mnangagwa, the First Lady of Zimbabwe and Ambassador of the Merck Foundation's More Than a Mother initiative, to celebrate the 7th anniversary of our long-standing partnership.

Our partnership is dedicated to building healthcare and media capacity, supporting girls' education, and breaking the stigma surrounding infertility.

It was equally inspiring to meet our champions — the Media Award winners, Merck Foundation alumni who have successfully graduated from our scholarship programmes, the remarkable schoolgirls benefiting from Merck Foundation scholarships, and a group of strong women empowered through the More Than a Mother initiative.

These women are working to break the stigma surrounding infertility and improve access to infertility care in Zimbabwe.

I am truly proud of the positive impact we continue to create together through this meaningful partnership!"

Senator, Prof. Dr. Rasha Kelej
CEO, Merck Foundation

[Merck Foundation @MerckFoundation]

"I am very happy to share this beautiful new song, 'Chega de Diabete' the Portuguese version of 'No more Diabetes' song, music and lyrics by Cwesi Oteng of Ghana and sang by a very talented singer - Hot Blaze from Mozambique which is part of Merck Foundation Community Awareness Program to raise awareness about Diabetes Prevention and early Detection in Africa and beyond dedicated to Portuguese speaking countries. So proud of this song, hope you like it….

Merck Foundation together with African First Ladies, Ministries of Health provided more than 660 scholarships of one-year Diploma and two-year's Master Degree in Diabetes, cardiovascular preventive and Endocrinology for doctors from 43 countries. This includes Masters Course in Diabetes Management for French, Portuguese and Spanish speaking countries, ensuring geographical coverage to help transform the landscape of diabetes care in Africa and beyond.

Enjoy the Lyrics of the beautiful song 'Chega de Diabete':
chega de diabete
vamos reverter a diabete
adeus diabete
podemos fazer dar certo / podemos fazer funcionar / juntos conseguimos 4*
diga adeus a diabete
chega de diabete
vamos reverter
podemos fazer dar certo / podemos fazer funcionar / juntos conseguimos 4*
podemos fazer tudo aquilo a que nos propomos
fazer exercícios e deixar de fumar
chega de álcool
chega de cigarros
chega de refrescos
podes viver sem açúcar
melhores escolhas todos os dias farão a diferença
exercício diário faz a diferença
chega de álcool
chega de cigarros
chega de refrescos
podes viver sem açúcar
escolha um plano alimentar melhor (oooo oooo oooo oooo)
e sem açúcar (oooo oooo oooo oooo)
chega de álcool (ooo ooo ooo ooo)
e deixar de fumar ( oooo oooo oooo)
esta luta é global
este inimigo é cruel
mas podemos derrotá-lo
se fizermos escolhas melhores
podemos fazer dar certo / podemos fazer funcionar / juntos conseguimos

Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej
CEO of Merck Foundation

[Merck Foundation @MerckFoundation]

“At Merck Foundation, we remain committed to transforming the patient care landscape and improving access to quality and equitable healthcare solutions across Africa, Asia, and beyond. The Merck Foundation has provided more than 2,600 scholarships for young healthcare providers from 52 countries in 44 critical and underserved medical specialties.

Through these scholarships, many of our Merck Foundation alumni are becoming the first-ever specialists in their respective fields in their countries, including Namibia, Liberia, The Gambia, Burundi, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Zambia, Guinea, Ethiopia, Congo, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Zimbabwe, among others.

This is truly history in the making, and we are proud to be a part of Africa’s legacy by empowering a new generation of healthcare specialists who will serve generations to come.”

Dr. Rasha Kelej
CEO of Merck Foundation
President of “More Than a Mother”

[Merck Foundation @MerckFoundation]

"I’m pleased to share a glimpse of the fourth episode of OUR AFRICA by Merck Foundation, dedicated to promoting healthy lifestyle awareness across the African continent.

This impactful platform continues to address key social and health issues through creative, compelling storytelling, brought to life by our exceptional African Community of Fashion and Art with Purpose. The fourth episode inspires healthy lifestyle choices through meaningful fashion and art.

I firmly believe that media, fashion, and art should serve a purpose beyond entertainment. They have the power to raise awareness and spark change on vital issues, including diabetes prevention, breaking the stigma around infertility, ending child marriage, stopping FGM and gender-based violence, supporting girls’ education, and empowering women. Together, we can drive lasting cultural change.

Stay tuned and keep watching OUR AFRICA by Merck Foundation as we inspire health, hope, and positive transformation across Africa."

Senator, Prof. Dr. RASHA KELEJ
CEO of Merck Foundation

https://t.co/VzwCNcwy39

[Merck Foundation @MerckFoundation]

“I am happy to share media coverage about my recent article: Girl Education and Merck Foundation Educating Linda Program.

A girl may have the ability to become a doctor, a scientist, an engineer, an entrepreneur or a president. Yet, long before she has the opportunity to discover her abilities, the people around her may already have decided what her future should look like. Sometimes those limits are spoken openly. Sometimes they appear in everyday decisions: whose education receives priority, who has time to study, whose ambitions are taken seriously and who is expected to abandon a dream. Is it the girl or the boy? This is why I believe that supporting girls’ education requires more than providing scholarships. We must also work to change the expectations that surround our girls.”

Read the media coverage here: https://t.co/XwzY4VJG2W

Senator, Prof. Dr. RASHA KELEJ
CEO of Merck Foundation

[Merck Foundation @MerckFoundation]

"Inspiring moments from 2025! I am very happy to share these beautiful moments captured in the protocol room, just before we stepped into the spotlight for the plenary session of the 7th edition of the Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative (MFFLI) Summit 2025 in Dubai.

Surrounded by Their Excellencies, the First Ladies of Africa and Asia, we shared a warm energy filled with encouragement and a common passion for the work ahead.

It is in these in-between moments that the strength of our bond truly shines—a sisterhood grounded in purpose and committed to building a better, healthier, and more equal world for women, girls, and entire communities."

Senator, Prof. Dr. RASHA KELEJ
CEO of Merck Foundation

[Merck Foundation @MerckFoundation]

"I welcome you all to watch the testimonial of Dr. Tatenda Hamilton Tengwana from Zimbabwe, an alumnus of the Merck Foundation Diabetes & Hypertension Blue Points Program, who received a One-Year Postgraduate Diploma in Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine."

Dr. Rasha Kelej
CEO of Merck Foundation

https://t.co/fbrBh76kae