Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, marks ‘World ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology) Day 2023’ together with African First Ladies, who are also the Ambassadors of “Merck Foundation More Than a Mother” Campaign, by building and advancing fertility care capacity in Africa and Asia.

Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and President of “More Than  a Mother” emphasized, "We at Merck Foundation strongly believe in the critical role of Embryologists and Fertility & Reproductive Care Specialists to empower infertile women through improving their access to information, change of mindset and quality & equitable fertility care across Africa & Asia as part of our “More than a Mother” campaign.

As a part of the campaign, we marked World ART Day through providing more than 490 scholarships to young doctors from 39 countries to be the local Embryologists, Fertility & Reproductive care experts in their countries. Moreover, many of our Alumni were trained to be the first local experts in their countries where they never had even a single local embryologist or fertility specialist before our program such as; The Gambia, Burundi, Guinea, Chad, Niger, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Malawi, Congo , Mozambique and more.

Together with Merck Foundation Alumni, and our partners, we are making history and reshaping the landscape of fertility & Reproductive care across Africa and beyond.”

Merck Foundation “More Than a Mother” is a strong movement that aims to empower women living with Infertility through access to information, education, change of mindset, and economic empowerment. This powerful campaign defines interventions to build quality and equitable Reproductive and Fertility Care Capacity, Break Infertility Stigma and Raise Awareness about Infertility Prevention and Male Infertility.

“To give an overview, out of our total 1580 scholarships, we have provided more than 215 Scholarships for clinical and practical training to Fertility Specialists and Embryologists, and more than 275 Scholarships for PG Diploma and Master Degree in Sexual and Reproductive Medicine, Clinical Psychiatry, Women's Health, Biotechnology of Human Assisted Reproduction & Embryology, Urology, Laparoscopic Surgical skills to doctors from 39 countries across Africa and Asia. We are proud of this achievement”, added Dr. Rasha Kelej.

Moreover, Merck Foundation has trained more than 2500 media representatives from more than 35 countries to raise community awareness and break the stigma around infertility and infertile and childless women.

Merck Foundation has also been empowering childless and infertile women through their “Empowering Berna” initiative under their “More Than a Mother” movement. This initiative helps women who cannot be treated for infertility anymore by helping them to get trained to establish small businesses so that they can be independent and rebuild their lives. Through ‘Empowering Berna’, the lives of many infertile women have been transformed in many African countries like Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Central African Republic, Niger, Malawi, and many more.

Merck Foundation in partnership with African First Ladies has also launched David’s Story, a children’s storybook 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 have a better connect with the young readers. Read David’s Story here: https://apo-opa.info/3Zmgd55

Merck Foundation’s pan African TV program “Our Africa”, that is conceptualized, produced, directed, and co-hosted by Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and features African Fashion Designers, Singers, and prominent experts from various domains with the aim to raise awareness and create a culture shift across Africa, has many episodes dedicated to raise awareness about infertility and breaking infertility stigma.

Watch the episodes here:

Episode 3: https://apo-opa.info/44XyhVr

Episode 5: https://apo-opa.info/471E0LT

Episode 10: https://apo-opa.info/3rD5UgV

Merck Foundation has also released about 30 songs, many of these songs have been created with the aim to break the infertility stigma, as a part of their “More Than a Mother” campaign. Listen to some of the songs here:

1. Watch, share & subscribe to the 'Plus qu'une MERE' composed and sung by Ms. Lucky-Lou, the daughter of The President and The First Lady of Burundi: apo-opa.info/41DEGV8
2. Watch, share & subscribe to the “More Than a Mother” song by Cwesi Oteng and Adina from Ghana: https://apo-opa.info/41DEqFE
3. Watch, share & subscribe to the “More Than a Mother” song by H.E. George Weah, the President of the Republic of Liberia created to support Merck Foundation “More Than a Mother” movement: https://apo-opa.info/3Zf4wNG

Listen to all “More than a Mother” songs here: https://apo-opa.info/3KRLMiD

“To address this important issue of breaking infertility stigma and also a wide range of other social issues, we annually launch Merck Foundation ‘More Than a Mother’ Awards in partnership with African First Ladies. I would also like to invite the African Community of Media, Fashion, Film making, and Musicians, students, and potential talents in these fields to apply for the awards this year, to create a culture shift and break the silence about one or more of the following topics: Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education, Women Empowerment, Ending Child Marriage, Ending FGM, and/ or Stopping GBV at all levels. I am looking forward to receiving their creative work on submit@merck-foundation.com”, concluded Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej.