https://100women.avancemedia.org/
Merck Foundation CEO and President of “More Than a Mother” Campaign and Member of the Egyptian Senate, Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej has been acknowledged for her contribution in direction of advancing healthcare capability, affected person care transformation, supporting lady training & ladies empowerment in African international locations. It additionally appreciates her contribution, via Merck Foundation, in direction of empowering African ladies in the area of Research and Healthcare and empowering underprivileged younger ladies via ‘Educating Linda’ in Africa and growing international locations.
Speaking about being featured in the 100 Most Influential African Women record, Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej says, “I am delighted and honored to be selected for the fourth year as one of the 100 Most Influential Africans and African Women, under the category of CSO & Philanthropy. Thank you all for recognizing my efforts and Merck Foundation’s commitment towards building healthcare capacity, transforming the patient care landscape with special focus on women’s health, and empowering women & girls so that they can reach their potential and pursue their dreams. I promise to continue to empower women, support girl education and improve access to quality and equitable healthcare in Africa, Asia and beyond. Congratulations for all the exceptional women who have been selected this year. Well deserved.”
Dr. Kelej is at the forefront of Merck Foundation’s applications which have been contributing to transformation of affected person care panorama in public healthcare sectors in Africa and growing international locations.
“I am proud that in partnership with 20 African First Ladies as Ambassadors of More Than a Mother” Campaign, now we have supplied greater than 1470 scholarships to younger docs from 50 international locations. Scholarships of one-year, two-year, and three-year Diploma and Master Degree in additional than 32 crucial and underserved specialties are supplied to those docs. I’m very proud that out of these over 650 are feminine medical graduates. This is near 50% of the complete beneficiaries, which is a superb milestone for us” explains Dr. Kelej.
Through the ‘Educating Linda’ program in partnership with the African First Ladies who’re additionally the Ambassadors of Merck Foundation ‘More Than a Mother’ campaign, she has contributed to the future of 1000’s of ladies by offering scholarships and important college objects in lots of African international locations. This program has benefitted many women by offering scholarships in international locations like (*100*), Central African Republic, DRC, Ghana, The Gambia, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Moreover, 3,000 units of important college objects have been distributed for ladies’ faculties in lots of international locations like Angola, (*100*), Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, and Zambia.
“I strongly believe that an educated girl will lead a healthy life, save lives, build a stronger family, earn a better income, make informed choices, empower her community, lift her country and reduce inequalities”, she provides.
Merck Foundation has additionally introduced the MARS Awards to understand and acknowledge ‘Best African Women Researchers’ and ‘Best Young African Researcher’. The purpose is to empower ladies and younger African researchers, advance their analysis capability and promote their contribution to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).
Senator, Dr. Rasha works carefully along with her companions over the previous 10 years, greater than 20 African First Ladies, Ministries of Health, Education, Information & Communication, Gender, Academia, Research Institutions, Media, and Art in constructing healthcare capability and addressing well being, social & financial challenges in growing international locations and under-served communities.
She additionally spearheads the very spectacular Merck Foundation “More Than a Mother” Campaign, which is her brainchild and a rallying name to Break Infertility Stigma and Empower Infertile & Childless Women, via, working carefully with greater than 20 African First Ladies, who’re additionally the Ambassador of Merck Foundation “More Than a Mother”, over the previous seven years.
Merck Foundation CEO strongly believes that Fashion and Art can contribute considerably to sensitizing our communities about totally different well being and social points together with supporting lady training and girls empowerment. She has added yet one more accolade to her record of achievements with the conceptualization, manufacturing, route, and presentation of “Our Africa by Merck Foundation”, a pan-African and distinctive TV program that raises consciousness about a variety of social and well being points in Africa via “Fashion and Art with Purpose” African Community, established by her. This TV program is broadcast throughout the continent on Prime TV channels and can be streaming on the social media handles of Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej and Merck Foundation.
Dr. Rasha Kelej emphasizes on the concept behind this TV program, “I am very happy and proud of creating “Our Africa by Merck Foundation. The African continent is culturally very rich and colorful, and vibrant designs in African Fashion are proof of this. I have always admired Art and Fashion in Africa and I strongly believe that fashion and art should have a purpose beyond entertainment and looking good. They can contribute to sensitizing our communities about critical social and health issues. With this thought in mind, I came up with “Our Africa” TV program, which is each informational and entertaining.”
Dr. Kelej along with African First Ladies has been breaking the silence on a variety of crucial and delicate social and well being points like Supporting Girl Education, Breaking Infertility Stigma, Stopping GBV and FGM, Ending Child Marriage and Empowering ladies in any respect ranges; via many of her modern and distinctive initiatives like; Creating greater than 30 songs that she helped create and produce with many younger gifted musicians and singers throughout Africa in English, French, Portuguese and native languages. It is noteworthy that The President of Liberia, The Former First Lady of (*100*), and The daughter of the present President & First Lady of (*100*) have additionally composed and sung songs for “Merck Foundation More than a Mother”. She has launched 8 youngsters’s storybooks in three languages; English, French, and Portuguese, to teach and sensitize youngsters about necessary points from a younger age.
With the purpose to lift consciousness about the crucial social and well being points of the continent, she has skilled greater than 2200 media individuals in additional than 35 international locations, and in addition launches yearly, 8 totally different Awards for greatest media protection, style designs, movies, and songs.
The 2022 record of 100 Most Influential African Women has a illustration of the strongest African ladies from 36 African international locations, chosen from varied profession backgrounds together with diplomacy, philanthropy, politics, activism, entrepreneurship, business management, and leisure. It consists of many well-known names like; H.E. SAMIA SULUHU HASSAN, The President of Tanzania; Rt. Hon Robinah Nabbanja, The Prime Minister of Uganda; Rt. Hon Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, The Prime Minister of Namibia and Rt. Hon Victoire Tomegah Dogbé, The Prime Minister of TOGO, amongst others.
Edited by Cassien Tribunal Aungane from ‘For Africa’ Media
Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KelejRasha/
Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/rashakelej
Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/rasha_kelej
For extra data on Merck Foundation, please go to: www.merck-foundation.com
To view the record of 100 Most Influential African Women 2022, please go to: https://100women.avancemedia.org/
