Banjul, The Gambia & Mumbai, Maharashtra, India:
Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, together with The First Ladies of Africa and Asia, who are also the Ambassadors of Merck Foundation More Than a Mother, mark the “International Day of Elimination of Violence against Women 2024”. Through their “More Than a Mother” Campaign and “Educating Linda” program, Merck Foundation conducts various community awareness programs that address Gender Based Violence, Empower Women & Girls at all levels, Support Girl Education and more.
Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation expressed, “At Merck Foundation, we are deeply committed to raising awareness about the elimination of violence against women and girls through our various impactful initiatives that include children’s storybooks, inspiring songs, and many episodes of our TV program “Our Africa”, which is broadcast on national TV stations across Africa.
Furthermore, I strongly believe that education is a cornerstone of women’s empowerment. It not only uplifts women but also plays a crucial role in eliminating all forms of violence against them.”
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 about social and health issues, has episodes dedicated to issues like Stopping GBV, Ending FGM, Women Empowerment and Supporting Girl Education.
Watch the Episode about Stopping GBV here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YH3DKwHuvsM
Watch the Episode about Ending FGM here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GtXkBYv_94
Watch the Episode about Women Empowerment here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xghKVbJi2ds
Watch the Episodes on Girl Education here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGz6yNSik7g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5wpzOr22l0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjwRnP-Zi60
Merck Foundation in partnership with The First Ladies of Africa, has launched an inspiring children’s storybook – ‘Not Who You Are’ to raise awareness on Gender Based Violence, to educate children about this sensitive social issue so that they can learn to respect girls and women, from a young age, and ‘More Than a Mother’ to emphasize and strengthen family values of love and respect from an early age by instilling the thought that Women are more than just mothers, they are productive members in the society. Moreover, children’s storybooks like ‘Educating Linda’, ‘Jackline’s Rescue’ and ‘Ride into the Future’ have also been launched to support girl education. The storybooks have also been trasfomed into interesting and engaging Animation Films. These animation films are launched in four languages, English, French, Portuguese and Spanish.
Watch the Animation Films here:
Merck Foundation has also released many songs to support women empowerment and girl education.
1. Watch, share & subscribe the “Like Them” song here, sung by Kenneth, a famous singer from Uganda: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCo52vtz3Q0
2. Watch and share “Girl Can” song here, sung by two famous singers, Irene and Cwezi from Liberia and Ghana respectively: https://youtu.be/6LP92vAWYgs
3. Watch and share “Take me to School” song here, sung by Wezi, Afro-soul singer from Zambia, to support girls’ education: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWcujLMbKSg
4. Watch and share “Tu Podes Sim” Portuguese song, which means “Yes, You Can” in English by Blaze and Tamyris Moiane, singers from Mozambique in English here: https://youtu.be/BGWR2S-mxl4
5. Watch and share “ABC, 123” by Sean K from Namibia song here: https://youtu.be/4Z2i4Wh-bpk
6. Watch and share “Superwoman Song” by singers Cwezi and Adina from Ghana here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQ6ZprqAAJs
“Violence against girls, women, and children is a grave and widespread violation of human rights, affecting communities across Africa and the world. Tragically, many incidents remain hidden due to barriers such as limited education, societal stigma, and feelings of shame.
As we observe the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, let us come together to STOP Gender-Based Violence. By empowering women, supporting girl education, and championing women’s rights, we can pave the way for a future free from abuse and inequality,” concluded Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej.
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 quality & equitable healthcare solutions in underserved communities, building healthcare & scientific research capacity, empowering girls in education 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 visit www.merck-foundation.com to read more. Follow the social media of Merck Foundation: Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, Threads and Flickr.
The Merck Foundation is dedicated to improving social and health outcomes for communities in need. While it collaborates with various partners, including governments to achieve its humanitarian goals, the foundation remains strictly neutral in political matters. It does not engage in or support any political activities, elections, or regimes, focusing solely on its mission to elevate humanity and enhance well-being while maintaining a strict non-political stance in all of its endeavors.
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