Click here for French Version

Merck Foundation - Noonkipa has 4 cows now, true Merck more than a Mother heroine


Rasha Kelej - CEO of Merck Foundation & President of Merck More Than a Mother Empowering Ugandan Women
 

• Merck Foundation recently announced the winners of ‘Merck More Than a Mother’ Media Recognition Awards 2017

Nairobi, Kenya, 26^th July 2018: Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany announced the opening of the application period for the ‘Merck More Than a Mother’ Media recognition Awards 2018. The applications are invited by media professionals to showcase their work to raise awareness about infertility prevention and break infertility stigma in Africa. The awards were introduced last year to recognize the outstanding health journalism and to recognize individual professional journalists who have produced accurate, informative, and compelling stories about infertile women or couples in Africa.


Merck Foundation visits Merck More Than a Mother heroines in Gambia

“I strongly believe in the critical role media play to sensitize communities. Therefore we have created these media awards with the aim to recognize the outstanding journalistic coverage that enhances the public engagement and understanding of infertility, breaking its stigma and emphasizing the need to change the social perception of it in African communities. We have also started two relevant hashtags #MenToo can suffer infertility not women only, and #NoForInfertilityStigma to appeal to all our media partners to start this movement across their platforms” said Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and President of Merck More Than a Mother.

Who can apply?
Journalists from print, online, radio and multimedia platforms.
 
Last date of submission:
Entries can be submitted till 30th June 2019.
 
How to apply?
Entries can be submitted via email to mystory@merckmorethanamother.com 
Along with Applicants Name, Sex, Age, Category, Media House, Country and Contacts.
 
Categories and prize money:



Merck Foundation recently concluded a ceremony to announce the winners of the ‘Merck More Than a Mother’ Media Recognition Awards 2017 in Nairobi, Kenya. The ceremony was attended by over 200 journalists from 17 African countries.

Watch what happened to Jackline Mwende,victim of infertility stigma, after meeting Merck Foundation

Here are the details of first award winners from profession journalist’s category from each segment:


 
The Award from the Multimedia Segment was given to Ms. Namukabo L Werungah and her team from NTV Kenya for their excellent story named ‘A tale of pain and shame of childless women in Busia’.

The First Award from the Print Media Segment was received by Mr. Gardy Chacha, Senior Health and Science Reporter from Standard Newspaper, Kenya. He was selected for his soul-stirring story named ‘Cecilia Wairimu: One woman, Three marriages, 11 years of Infertility’.

The First Award from the Online Media Segment was given to Ms. Molatelo Mainetje, News and Current Affair Producer and Documentary Filmmaker from South Africa for her short film called ‘Womb Man’.

Ms. Asha Bakidusa, Journalist with Royal Media Services Limited, Under Bahari FM, Kenya was given the First Award for the Radio Segment for her program on ‘How family men supporting their spouses in cases of Infertility’.
 
All the award winners were present during the ceremony to collect their award.

Watch videos below on the stories of women’s suffering as a result of the infertility stigma.


Merck Foundation: Merck More Than A Mother - The Story of Empowering Ijeoma Ezeaku, Nigeria


Merck Foundation - Merck More Than a Mother with Byansi Adrian Ssemugga & Sawuya Ntongo, Couple from Uganda


Merck Foundation -Merck More Than A Mother - The Story of Empowering Grace Kambini


Merck Foundation empowering infertile women in Central African Republic


Merck Foundation - The Story of Empowering Batianor Community Women of Ghana


Merck More Than A Mother-The Story of Empowering Infertile Women, Sierra Leone


Merck More Than A Mother-The Story of Empowering Infertile Women, Liberia


Merck Foundation : Merck More Than A Mother-Empowering Geraldine Missie, Cote D'Ivoire (French)​

About ‘Merck More Than a Mother’ campaign;
 
In many cultures, childless women suffer discrimination, stigma, and ostracism. Their inability to have children results in great isolation, disinheritance, and assaults. “Merck More Than a Mother” empowers such women through the access to information, health, change of mindsets and economic empowerment.
 
As part of this Campaign, we started “Empowering Berna” project in Africa to help childless and infertile women starting their own business and thus achieve financial independence and become stronger and happier. The project has benefited more than 1,000 women across the continent.
 
Also, part of the campaign is our Merck Embryology & Fertility Training Program, a three-month hands-on practical course to establish the platform of fertility specialists across Africa and Asia.
 
Merck Foundation provided for more than 50 candidates, three months to six months clinical and practical training for fertility specialists and embryologists in more than 29 countries across Africa and Asia such as: Chad, Niger, Central African Republic, Cote D’Ivoire , Ghana, Ethiopia , Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania , Zambia , Nigeria, Benin, Mali, Burkina Fuso, Senegal, Guinea Conakry, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cameron, Rwanda, Botswana,  DR Congo , Congo Brazzaville, Gambia , Nepal, Siri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Cambodia.
 
Merck Foundation is making history in many African countries where they never had fertility specialists or specialized fertility clinics before ‘Merck More Than a Mother’ intervention, to train the first fertility specialists such as; in Sierra Leone, Liberia, The Gambia, Niger, Chad, and Guinea. 
 
Merck Foundation plan supported the establishment of the first public IVF centers in Ethiopia and Uganda through providing the clinical and practical training necessary for their staff. Merck Foundation also plans to support the establishment of the first public IVF in Tanzania soon.
 
“Merck more than a Mother” launched in 2015, is a program of the Merck Foundation, the foundation drives many of our initiatives and programs in the area of build health care and research capacity and improves access to equitable healthcare solutions.


 Renee Ngamau,Life Coach/Radio Host Capital FM


William Pike, Director Radio Africa Group


Tom Mshindi, Editor-in-Chief Nation Media Group


Carole Mandi, Founder Carole Mandi Media



 

  

 

Join the conversation on our social media platforms below and let your voice be heard

Merck Foundation    @Merckfoundation    Merck Foundation

Join Merck Foundation healthcare & research online community to exchange experience and information with other healthcare providers, researchers, students, policy makers and community members in Africa and beyond
www.merck-foundation.com 
free registration
 

About Merck Foundation
The Merck Foundation, established in 2017, is the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, aims to improve the health and wellbeing of people and advance their lives through science and technology. Our efforts are primarily focused on improving access to innovative healthcare solutions in underserved communities, building healthcare and scientific research capacity and empowering people in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) with a special focus on women and youth. All Merck Foundation press releases are distributed by e-mail at the same time they become available on the Merck Foundation Website.   Please go to www.merck-foundation.com  to read more and/or register online to interact and exchange experience with our registered members.

 About Merck
Merck is a leading science and technology company in healthcare, life science and performance materials. Almost 53,000 employees work to further develop technologies that improve and enhance life – from biopharmaceutical therapies to treat cancer or multiple sclerosis, cutting-edge systems for scientific research and production, to liquid crystals for smartphones and LCD televisions. In 2017, Merck generated sales of € 15.3 billion in 66 countries.
Founded in 1668, Merck is the world's oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company. The founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed corporate group. Merck holds the global rights to the Merck name and brand. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the company operates as EMD Serono, MilliporeSigma and EMD Performance Materials.