Merck Foundation CEO and African First Ladies raise Coronavirus awareness through the announcement of winners of their Media Recognition Awards 2021

Merck Foundation (Merck-Foundation.com), the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany in partnership with African First Ladies announced the winners of Merck Foundation “Mask up with Care” Media Recognition Awards 2021 with the aim to raise awareness about Coronavirus in Africa. The awards were announced by Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and President of Merck Foundation ‘More Than a Mother’ together with African First Ladies, who are also the Ambassadors of ‘Merck Foundation More Than a Mother’. They congratulated the winners and acknowledged their efforts to sensitize their communities during the global pandemic.

Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and One of the Most Influential Africans 2019, 2020&2021 emphasized, “Together with my dear sisters, the African First Ladies, we congratulate the winners of Merck Foundation ‘Mask up with Care’ Media Recognition Awards 2021. I would like to thank the Media Fraternity who participated and a big congratulations to all the winners! I strongly believe that media plays a very important role to raise awareness, educating communities and presenting relevant&precise information. In this time of the COVID-19 global pandemic, the media has played an exceptional role in spreading awareness about the situation, separating myths from facts at all levels”.

The theme of the awards was: Raise awareness on how to adapt best protection measures such as wearing masks to show people how to care for and love their family&community; to encourage them to choose to vaccinate when it is available and to sensitize them to support healthcare workers who are at the forefront of COVID-19 pandemic.

Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej emphasized, “I am very happy with the work showcased by all our winners; hence it gives me immense joy to announce that Merck Foundation is additionally rewarding the winners by providing them with one year access to an online educational training program called ‘MasterClass’. The ‘MasterClass’ is an immersive online experience and self-paced learning course that can be accessed anywhere with the Internet. I encourage all the winners to also be the storytellers and the voice or the voiceless so that they become Merck Foundation Advocates to help us to raise awareness on health and social issues like eliminating infertility stigma, supporting girl education, ending FGM and GBV, etc. I also welcome them as valuable members of ‘Merck Foundation Alumni’.

Merck Foundation “Mask up with Care” Media Recognition Awards 2021 were announced for African, Latin American, and Asian countries.

Here is the list of Award Winners:

Winners from Southern African Countries in partnership with The First Lady of Namibia, H.E. MONICA GEINGOS; The First Lady of Malawi, H.E. MONICA CHAKWERA; The First Lady of Zimbabwe, H.E. AUXILLIA MNANGAGWA:

SOUTHERN AFRICAN COUNTRIES

PRINT CATEGORY WINNERS:

FIRST Position:

• Solly Johane, Incredible Multi Investment, BOTSWANA

SECOND Position:

• Silence Mugadzaweta, NewsDay, ZIMBABWE

ONLINE CATEGORY WINNERS:

FIRST Position:

• Adolf Kaure, Namibia Media Holdings, NAMIBIA
• Muchaneta Chimuka, Zimpapers Covid-19 Newsletter, ZIMBABWE
• Tendai Rupapa, The Herald, ZIMBABWE

SECOND Position:

• Elizabeth Sitotombe, The Patriot Newspaper, ZIMBABWE
• Nevson Mpofu, www.panafricanvisions.com, ZIMBABWE

THIRD Position:

• Silence Mugadzaweta, NewsDay, ZIMBABWE
• Veronica Gwaze, Sunday Mail, ZIMBABWE
• Shireen van Wyk, shayblogger, NAMIBIA

MULTIMEDIA CATEGORY WINNERS:

FIRST Position:

• Effie M. Mphande, Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation, ZAMBIA
• Peter Chivhima, ZIMBABWE BROADCASTING CORPORATION, ZIMBABWE
• Mandy Pondani  and Howard Dzingomvera, Times Media Group, MALAWI

SECOND Position:

• MARIE-INNOCENCIA SEGULA, MBC-TV, MALAWI

RADIO CATEGORY WINNERS:

FIRST Position:

• Gaone Lorato Kgaswanyane-Khumomatlhare, Gabz FM, BOTSWANA
• Prudence Chibale Siabana, Radio Phoenix, ZAMBIA

SECOND Position:

• Charles Chindongo, MBC TV, MALAWI

Here are the winners from West African Countries in partnership with The First Lady of The Gambia, H.E. FATOUMATTA BAH-BARROW; The First Lady of Ghana, H.E. REBECCA AKUFO-ADDO; The First Lady of Liberia, H.E. CLAR MARIE WEAH; and The First Lady of Nigeria, H.E. Dr. AISHA MUHAMMADU BUHARI:

WEST AFRICAN COUNTRIES

PRINT CATEGORY WINNERS:

FIRST Position:

• Dzifa Tetteh Tay, The Spectator, GHANA

SECOND Position:

• Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyema, New Times Corporation (Ghanaian Times/The Spectator), GHANA
• Alfred Nii Arday Ankrah, The Spectator Newspaper, GHANA

THIRD Position:

• Efia Akese, The Mirror, GHANA
• Benedicta Gyimaah Folley, Ghanian Times, GHANA

ONLINE CATEGORY WINNERS:

FIRST Position:

• Prosper Kwame Kuorsoh, Ghana New Agency, GHANA

SECOND Position:

• Prince Kwame Tamakloe, Rainbow Radio Int and Zami Report, GHANA
• Abiodun Azi, News Agency of Nigeria, NIGERIA

THIRD Position:

• Ishmael Sallieu Koroma, Pan African Visions, SIERRA LEONE
• Mavis Offei Acheampong, GHANA BROADCASTING CORPORATION (GBC), GHANA
• Never G Lomo, newspuplictrust.com, LIBERIA

RADIO CATEGORY

FIRST Position:

• Mavis Offei Acheampong, GHANA BROADCASTING CORPORATION (GBC), GHANA

MULTIMEDIA CATEGORY WINNERS:

FIRST Position:

• Ndey Ceesay, Eyeafrica Tv, GAMBIA
• WENDY LARYEA, TV3 Network Ltd., GHANA

SECOND Position:

• Clara Mlano, Ghana Broadasting Corporation, GHANA

THIRD Position:

• Beatrice Spio-Garbrah, TV3, GHANA

Here are the winners from East African Countries:

EAST AFRICAN COUNTRIES

PRINT CATEGORY WINNERS:

FIRST Position:

• Evance Ng’ingo, Tanzania Standard Newspaper, TANZANIA

ONLINE CATEGORY

FIRST Position:

• Nelson Mandela, PML Daily, UGANDA

SECOND Position:

• Dorcas Wangir, CITIZEN TV, KENYA
• Delphine Maombi, newtimes.co.rw, RWANDA

THIRD Position:

• Tulinagwe A. Malopa, Dar es Salaam, TANZANIA

MULTIMEDIA CATEGORY

FIRST Position:

• Ruth Kadide Keah, Radio Rahma, KENYA

SECOND Position:

• Mercy Tyra Murengu, Stringer for Voice of America, KENYA

THIRD Position:

• Zainab Mohammed, TV47 Kenya, KENYA

RADIO CATEGORY

FIRST Position:

• Veronica Romwald Mrema, www.boresha.online, TANZANIA

SECOND Position:

• Asha Bekidusa, Bahari FM, KENYA
• Mwanaisha Makumbuli, Highlands Fm RADIO, TANZANIA

THIRD Position:

• Adam Gabriel Hhando, CG FM RADIO, TANZANIA

Here are the winners from African French Speaking Countries in partnership with The First Lady of Burundi, H.E. ANGELINE NDAYISHIMIYE; The First Lady of Democratic Republic of the Congo, H.E. DENISE NYAKERU TSHISEKEDI; The First Lady of Central African Republic, H.E. BRIGITTE TOUADERA:

AFRICAN FRENCH SPEAKING COUNTRIES

PRINT CATEGORY

FIRST Position:

• Koami Agbetiafa, Niger Inter Hebdo, NIGER

ONLINE CATEGORY

FIRST Position:

• Cassien Tribunal Aungane, Diplomacy&Development, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
• Jean-Bosco NTACONAYIGIZE, Radio TV Buntu, BURUNDI
• Arsène-Jonathan Mosseavo, lanoca.over-blog.com, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

SECOND Position:

• Jessy NZENGU, Palmier community Radio Television channel broadcasting, DRC
• Bréhima Traore, alert-mali.com, MALI

THIRD Position:

• Alphonse Julio Gada, Global News/Directeur de Publication, BENIN

RADIO CATEGORY

FIRST Position:

• Remy Rukundo, RADIO TV BUNTU, BURUNDI
• Jeanine Nyabenda, Ijisho Web Site News TV, BURUNDI
• Rosemathe, Hope Chanel Television Goma, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
• Matthias Kabuya Tshilumba, Radio Télévision Débout Kasaï (RTDK) Mbuji-Mayi, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

SECOND Position:

• Ndayishimiye Cyriaque, Radio TV BUNTU, BURUNDI
• Ouedraogo Boureim, Radio the Voice of the Farmer, BURKINA FASO

Here are the winners from African Portuguese Speaking Countries in partnership with The First Lady of Mozambique, H.E. Mrs. ISAURA FERRÃO NYUSI

AFRICAN PORTUGUESE SPEAKING COUNTRIES

RADIO CATEGORY

FIRST Position:

• Abdul Remane Alifate Ibraimo, Rádio a voz do islam ( cidade da Matola), MOZAMBIQUE

MULTIMEDIA CATEGORY

FIRST Position:

• Hugo Neves Chaúque Firmino, Grupo SOICO, MOZAMBIQUE

LATIN-AMERICAN COUNTRIES

ONLINE CATEGORY

FIRST Position:

• Juliana Arreguy, UOL, BRAZIL
• Ana Catalina Baldrich Chaparro, RCN RAdio y LA FM, COLOMBIA

ASIAN COUNTRIES

PRINT CATEGORY

FIRST Position:

• Parikshit Nirbhay, Amar Ujala, INDIA

SECOND Position:

• Hemwati Nandan Rajaura, Hindustan Newspaper, INDIA

ONLINE CATEGORY

FIRST Position:

• Amrita Didyala, The Times of India, INDIA

SECOND Position:

• Payal Banerjee, PTI, INDIA

THIRD Position:

• Milan Rijal, Online Khabar, INDIA

MULTIMEDIA CATEGORY

FIRST Position:

• Pooja Makkar, ZEE NEWS, INDIA

“I am excited to announce the Call for Applications for the Merck Foundation “Mask up with Care” Media Recognition Awards 2022. I am looking forward to the entries from the Media Fraternity across Africa, Latin America, and Asia this year to write meaningful stories and reports to raise awareness and sensitize our communities about COVID-19 pandemic through taking measures such as continuing to wear masks to show love&care to the community, encouraging the community to choose vaccination and support healthcare workers who are at the forefront during this pandemic. We shall soon share details on these awards for the upcoming year, 2022” concluded Dr. Rasha Kelej. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Merck Foundation.

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About ‘Merck Foundation More Than a Mother’ campaign:
“Merck Foundation More Than a Mother” is a strong movement that aims to empower infertile women through access to information, education and change of mind-sets. This powerful campaign supports governments in defining policies to enhance access to regulated, safe, effective and equitable fertility care solutions. It defines interventions to break the stigma around infertile women and raises awareness about infertility prevention, management and male infertility. In partnership with African First Ladies, Ministries of Health, Information, Education&Gender, academia, policymakers, International fertility societies, media and art, the initiative also provides training for fertility specialists and embryologists to build and advance fertility care capacity in Africa and developing countries.

With “Merck Foundation More Than a Mother”, we have initiated a cultural shift to de-stigmatize infertility at all levels: By improving awareness, training local experts in the fields of fertility care and media, building advocacy in cooperation with African First Ladies and women leaders and by supporting childless women in starting their own small businesses. It’s all about giving every woman the respect and the help she deserves to live a fulfilling life, with or without a child. 

The Ambassadors of “Merck Foundation More Than a Mother” are:

H.E. NEO JANE MASISI, The First Lady of Botswana	H.E. DENISE NYAKERU TSHISEKEDI, THE First Lady of Democratic Republic of Congo	H.E. ISAURA FERRÃO NYUSI, The First Lady of Mozambique
H.E. SIKA KABORE, The First Lady of Burkina Faso	H.E. FATOUMATTA BAH-BARROW, The First Lady of The Gambia	H.E. MONICA GEINGOS, The First Lady of Namibia
H.E. ANGELINE NDAYISHIMIYE, The First Lady of Burundi	H.E. REBECCA AKUFO-ADDO, The First Lady of Ghana	H.E. AISHA BUHARI, The First Lady of Nigeria
H.E. BRIGITTE TOUADERA, The First Lady of Central African Republic	H.E. CLAR WEAH, The First Lady of Liberia	H.E FATIMA MAADA BIO, The First Lady of Sierra Leone
H.E. ANTOINETTE SASSOU-NGUESSO, The First Lady of Congo Brazzaville	H.E. MONICA CHAKWERA, The First Lady of Malawi	H.E. AUXILLIA MNANGAGWA, The First Lady of Zimbabwe
The Former First Lady of Burundi, H.E DENISE NKURUNZIZA, The Former First Lady of Chad, H.E. HINDA DÉBY ITNO, The Former First Lady of Malawi, H.E. PROFESSOR GERTRUDE MUTHARIKA, The Former First Lady of Niger, H.E AÏSSATA ISSOUFOU MAHAMADOU and The Former First Lady of Zambia, H.E. ESTHER LUNGU, The Former First Lady of Guinea Conakry, H.E. CONDÉ DJENE have worked successfully with Merck Foundation as Merck Foundation More Than a Mother Ambassadors to break the stigma of infertility and empower infertile women in their countries.

Merck Foundation launched new innovative initiatives to sensitize local communities about infertility prevention, male infertility with the aim to break the stigma of infertility and empowering infertile women as part of Merck Foundation More than a Mother COMMUNITY AWARENESS CAMPAIGN, such as;

• ‘Merck Foundation More than a Mother’ Africa Media Recognition Awards and Health Media Training
• ‘Merck Foundation More than a Mother’ Fashion Awards
• ‘Merck Foundation More than a Mother’ Film Awards
• ‘Merck Foundation More than a Mother’ Song Awards
• Local songs with local artists to address the cultural perception of infertility and how to change it
• Children storybook, localized for each country

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 quality&equitable 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 visit www.Merck-Foundation.com to read more. To know more, reach out to our social media: Merck Foundation (Merck-Foundation.com); Facebook (bit.ly/32YFKpv), Twitter (bit.ly/2TeOQNj), Instagram(bit.ly/3g6OYr3) , YouTube (bit.ly/3zc3up1) and Flicker (bit.ly/2Tay0Pu).

© Press Release 2021