Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej Leads Merck Foundation’s Celebration of Girls and Women in Science 2025
Accra, Ghana & Mumbai, India – The Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, proudly commemorates the International Day of Girls and Women in Science 2025 in collaboration with African First Ladies and key institutional partners, including African Ministries of Health, Education, Gender & Information, and Academia. This initiative underscores the foundation’s commitment to empowering women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
Driving Change for Women in Science
Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and a six-time recipient of the Most Influential African Woman title (2019–2024), emphasized the foundation’s mission to close the gender gap in STEM.
“At Merck Foundation, we celebrate the International Day of Girls and Women in Science 2025 by actively supporting and empowering women in science and technology. While women have made remarkable progress in their careers, they are still significantly underrepresented in these fields. Our mission is to bridge the gender gap and ensure that women have equal opportunities to thrive and lead in science and technology,” said Senator Kelej.
Merck Foundation Africa Research Summit (MARS) Awards 2024
As part of its annual initiatives, Merck Foundation continues its MARS Awards, recognizing ‘Best African Women Researchers’ and ‘Best Young African Researchers’. These awards aim to promote excellence in scientific research, empower women and young African scholars, and advance their contributions to STEM fields.
In the recently held MARS Awards 2024 virtual ceremony, Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej, in collaboration with Africa Reproductive Care Society (ARCS), Manipal University, and the African Union Scientific Technical Research Commission, honored African researchers for their outstanding work in Women’s Health, Reproductive Health, and Fertility Care.
Watch the Merck Foundation Africa Research Summit MARS 2024 Award Ceremony here:
https://www.facebook.com/100068866061593/videos/544972635234822
During the ceremony, Merck Foundation also announced the Call for Applications for MARS Awards 2025.
Transforming Healthcare Through Scholarships
Merck Foundation is reshaping Africa’s healthcare landscape by providing specialized medical training scholarships to young doctors. To date, the foundation has awarded over 2,200 scholarships, with nearly 1,050 scholarships going to women medical graduates—representing almost 50% of Merck Foundation Alumni.
“In partnership with my dear sisters, African First Ladies, we have been transforming the patient care landscape in Africa by providing medical training to young doctors in many critical medical specialties. Out of the total 2,200+ scholarships provided, about 1,050 scholarships are for women medical graduates. This is close to 50% of the total Merck Foundation Alumni, which is a great milestone for us,” Senator Kelej stated.
“Educating Linda” – Supporting Girls’ Education
Education is a powerful tool for women’s empowerment. Through its “Educating Linda” program, Merck Foundation has supported over 700 underprivileged African girls with scholarships and provided thousands of schoolgirls with essential school supplies across countries such as Burundi, Malawi, Ghana, The Gambia, Nigeria, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Niger.
“Together with African First Ladies, we have contributed to the future of more than 700 deserving African girls by providing scholarships to continue their education and also by providing essential school items for thousands of schoolgirls through our ‘Educating Linda’ program,” Senator Kelej added.
Beyond scholarships, Merck Foundation has launched children’s storybooks, animated films, and awareness songs to promote girls’ education and combat child marriage.
Annual Awards for Media, Film, Song, and Fashion to Support Girl Education
To amplify its impact, Merck Foundation has launched the 2025 Edition of its annual awards for media, films, songs, and fashion designs that advocate for girl education and social awareness. Additionally, the foundation has published storybooks available in English, French, and Portuguese to encourage young girls to pursue STEM careers.
Merck Foundation’s “Our Africa” TV Program
Merck Foundation’s pan-African TV show, “Our Africa,” produced and co-hosted by Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej, has dedicated three episodes to supporting girls’ education. The program airs on national TV stations across Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, Namibia, Mauritius, Zambia, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and more.
Watch an episode of “Our Africa by Merck Foundation” on Supporting Girl Education:
Empowering Girls Through Music
Merck Foundation has collaborated with African artists to produce songs that champion girls’ education:
- “Girls Can” – By Cwesi Oteng (Ghana) & Irene Logan (Liberia) Watch here
- “Like Them” – By Kenneth (Uganda) Watch here
- “Take Me to School” – By Wezi (Zambia) Watch here
- “Tu Podes Sim” (Yes, You Can) – By Blaze & Tamyris Moiane (Mozambique) Watch here
- “ABC, 123” – By Sean K (Namibia) Watch here
- “Brighter Day” – By Sean K & Cwesi Oteng (Namibia/Ghana) Watch here
MARS AWARDS 2025 – Call for Applications
Final-year African PhD students and young investigators are invited to submit research abstracts on:
- Women’s Health
- Infertility & Reproductive Health
Submission Deadline: June 30, 2025
Apply here: https://merck-foundation.com/Merck-Foundation-Africa-Research-Summit-Application-Form
About Merck Foundation
Established in 2017, the Merck Foundation is dedicated to improving healthcare, education, and STEM opportunities for underprivileged communities, with a special focus on women and youth. Collaborating with various partners, the foundation remains strictly non-political and focuses solely on humanitarian efforts.
For more details, visit www.merck-foundation.com and follow us on Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, Threads, and Flickr.
