Mumbai, Maharashtra, India & Banjul, The Gambia – Business Wire India • Merck Foundation has made history by training the first local Embryologists and Reproductive & Fertility Experts in many countries such as The Gambia, Liberia, Burundi, Guinea, Chad, Niger, Sierra Leone, Malawi, and Congo. Moreover, supported training for the staff of First Public IVF Centers in Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia, Niger, Bangladesh, and Myanmar.

• Merck Foundation launched “More Than a Mother Animation Film” that raises awareness about breaking infertility stigma, infertility prevention and male infertility, watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ri1vnt7VM-M Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, marks ‘World ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology) Day 2025’ together with African and Asian 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, "At Merck Foundation we mark World Assisted Reproductive Technology Day by building Fertility and Reproductive Care capacity and empowering infertile women by 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.

I am very proud to share that we have provided till today 716 scholarships of Embryology, Fertility and Sexual & Reproductive care to young doctors from 41 countries in Africa and Asia 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 African First Ladies, and other important partners, we are making history and reshaping the landscape of fertility & Reproductive care across Africa and beyond,” added Dr. Kelej.

Merck Foundation “More Than a Mother” is a powerful campaign that defines interventions to build quality and equitable Reproductive and Fertility Care Capacity, Break Infertility Stigma and Raise Awareness about Infertility Prevention and Male Infertility.

Merck Foundation has provided 2280 scholarships for doctors from 52 countries in 44 critical and underserved medical specialties.

“To give an overview, out of our total 716 scholarships for Fertility and Reproductive care, we have provided more than 324 Scholarships for clinical and practical training to Fertility Specialists and Embryologists, and more than 392 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 and Family Medicine to doctors from 41 countries across Africa and Asia. We are proud of this achievement,” added Dr. Rasha Kelej.

According to WHO data, more than 180 million couples in developing countries - that is 1 in every 4 couple, suffer from infertility. In many cultures in Africa, infertility is a huge stigma. Women are solely blamed for failing to conceive and the social stigma of childlessness, especially for women leads to isolation and stigmatization and results in discrimination and ostracism. This mostly also leads to divorce or physical or psychological violence. As a part of “More Than a Mother” Campaign, Merck Foundation has launched many initiatives to break this stigma and create a culture shift.

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 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.

“It’s all about giving every woman the respect and the help she deserves to lead a fulfilling life, with or without a child,” added Dr. Kelej.

Moreover, Merck Foundation has trained more than 3700 media representatives from more than 35 countries to raise community awareness and break the stigma around infertility and infertile and childless women.

Merck Foundation in partnership with Africa’s First Ladies, has also launched ‘More Than Mother’ 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 better connect with the young readers. The book has also been adapted to an animation film.

Watch More Than a Mother Animation Film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ri1vnt7VM-M 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://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BONCtUJZLHI Episode 5: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqobIDOHc4E&feature=youtu.be Episode 10: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXkB6sYb2Rw 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: https://youtu.be/EEUjxjqlHv0 2. Watch, share & subscribe to the “More Than a Mother” song by Cwesi Oteng and Adina from Ghana: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQ6ZprqAAJs 3. Watch, share & subscribe to the “More Than a Mother” song by Zambian Soul Singer Wezi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcRAHDuCjak 4. Watch, share & subscribe to the “More Than a Mother” song by Sunita Daffeh from the Gambia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cb0SEqMO0Sc Listen to all “More than a Mother” songs here: https://merck-foundation.com/our-programs/Merck-Foundation-More-Than-a-Mother/Local-Songs-and-Children-Stories “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, Filmmaking, and Musicians, students, and potential talents in these fields to apply for the awards this year by sharing their creative work on [email protected],” concluded Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej.

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To View the Image, Click on the Link Below: Merck Foundation Chairman and CEO with the First Ladies of Africa and Asia during the Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative Summit 2025 (Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with Business Wire India and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI PWR PWR