Merck Foundation Hosts 12th Africa Asia Luminary, Expands Programs With First Ladies

Dr. Rasha Kelej highlighted ongoing collaborations, announcing the enrolment of doctors from São Tomé and Príncipe in specialisations such as Oncology and Diabetes Care.

Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, concluded the 12th Edition of the Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary in partnership with the Government of The Gambia. The high-level conference—co-chaired by H.E. Mrs. Fatoumatta Bah-Barrow, First Lady of The Gambia, and Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation—brought together First Ladies, ministers, researchers and partners from across Africa and Asia.

Among the Guests of Honor and keynote speakers were the First Lady of São Tomé and Príncipe, H.E. Mrs. Maria de Fatima Vila Nova, and the First Ladies of Burundi, Central Africa, Liberia, Nigeria and Senegal, reflecting a united commitment to building healthcare capacity and addressing social challenges.

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Strengthening Healthcare Capacity Across Africa & Asia

Dr. Rasha Kelej highlighted ongoing collaborations, announcing the enrolment of doctors from São Tomé and Príncipe in specialisations such as Oncology and Diabetes Care. Since 2012, Merck Foundation has provided:

• 2500+ medical scholarships

• Across 52 countries

• Covering 44 critical and underserved specialities

These include oncology, fertility, endocrinology, respiratory care, cardiovascular health and more—transforming the patient-care landscape across the Global South.

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Education & Social Awareness Initiatives Strengthened

The First Lady of São Tomé and Príncipe praised the impact of the “Educating Linda and Lindo” programme, which offers:

• Annual scholarships for 40 high-performing but underprivileged boys and girls

• Support until completion of school education

She also announced that Merck Foundation’s animation films—produced in Portuguese—will soon be broadcast on national television to spread awareness about infertility stigma, girl education, diabetes, hypertension, and other social issues.

Merck Foundation’s awareness resources include:

• 9 children’s storybooks in English, French, Portuguese and Swahili

• 6 awareness animation films in five languages

• 30+ songs by African artists addressing key social and health issues

• Pan-African TV program “Our Africa by Merck Foundation”, promoting “Fashion & Art with Purpose”

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Empowering Media, Creators and Youth

Merck Foundation continues its strong outreach to media and creatives:

• 3700+ media professionals trained from 35+ countries

• 8 annual awards for journalists, musicians, filmmakers, fashion designers and students

• Online Health Media Training sessions conducted with São Tomé & Príncipe to strengthen factual, ethical health reporting

The goal is to boost responsible storytelling on infertility stigma, gender-based violence, non-communicable diseases and girl education.

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High-Level Panels & First Ladies Initiative

Day 1

• Featured keynote speeches from African First Ladies

• Hosted a Ministerial Panel on the Merck Foundation Africa Research Summit (MARS)

• Focus areas: scientific research capacity, women in STEM, and health innovation

Day 2

• Convened the Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative (MFFLI) committee meeting

• First Ladies shared progress reports and proposed future joint programmes

• Watch the meeting video: https://apo-opa.co/493cDEh

The conference was live-streamed across Merck Foundation and Dr. Kelej’s social media platforms.

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Major Long-Term Impact Statistics

Merck Foundation’s pan-African and global impact now includes:

• 2500+ medical scholarships

• 1200+ annual scholarships for underprivileged girls across 18 countries

• 3700+ media professionals trained

• 8 award categories for creators and communicators

• 30+ advocacy songs

• 9 children’s books, 6 animation films

• 15 social media channels with 8.5+ million followers

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A Growing Partnership With São Tomé and Príncipe

The partnership includes:

• Two editions of Online Health Media Training

• Storybooks launched in Portuguese

• Joint social-awareness campaigns

• Scholarships for doctors

• Broadcast of educational animations on national TV

The First Lady emphasised her belief that these resources will “benefit people and inspire a healthier, more informed society.”

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The 12th Africa Asia Luminary demonstrates Merck Foundation’s expanding role in healthcare transformation, social reform, gender equality, STEM empowerment, and cultural leadership across Africa and Asia—working hand-in-hand with national governments, First Ladies, and community partners.