Merck Foundation CEO Celebrates the Winners of "Merck Foundation More Than a Mother" Africa Media Recognition Awards 2020 to Break Infertility Stigma

Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany announced the winners of 'Merck Foundation More Than a Mother' Africa Media Recognition Awards 2020. The awards were announced by Merck Foundation CEO in partnership with the First Ladies of Zimbabwe, Zambia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Niger, Namibia, Mozambique, Malawi, Liberia, Guinea Conakry, Ghana, The Gambia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Congo Brazzaville, Chad, Central African Republic, Burundi, and Botswana, who are also the Ambassadors of 'Merck Foundation More Than a Mother'.

Senator Dr. RashaKelej, CEO of Merck Foundation, President 'Merck More Than a Mother and African Woman of the Year 2020 celebrated the winners saying "Big congratulations to all the winners of 'Merck Foundation More Than a Mother' Africa Media Recognition Awards 2020. First, I'd like to thank my dear sisters, First ladies of Africa for their support as Ambassadors to make this award a great success. I am very proud to recognize and appreciate professional journalists who became the voice of the voiceless and the storytellers of infertile women and break the stigma around them and also raised awareness about male infertility. As you all know I strongly believe in the critical role that media and art play to create a culture shift and raise awareness about health, cultural and sensitive issues such as infertility stigma. I welcome all the winners to be member in our Merck Foundation Alumni to work closely with us to empower women and girls at all levels."

Merck Foundation received a great response from African journalists in the form of several excellent entries. The 'Merck Foundation More Than A Mother' Awards Committee decided to create three Groups of Awards from English speaking countries. Hence, the six groups are: 1) Southern African Countries, 2) East African Countries, 3) West African Countries, 4) African French Speaking Countries, 5) Ghana, and 6) Zambia. Merck Foundation did not receive any entries from Portuguese speaking countries this year for this specific award.

The 'Merck Foundation More Than A Mother' Awards Committee further introduced a second and a third position and selected more than one winner in some categories. This was due to the high quality of work received and to encourage more talented and passionate media representatives across all media formats to reach their potential and be a beneficial instrument to address health, cultural and sensitive issues in the country.

Senator Dr. RashaKelej, Member of the Egyptian Senate (2020- 2025), Most Influential African (2019, 2020) and African Woman of the Year 2020 added, "I am happy to announce that, encouraged by the valuable contribution from the winners, 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 in English that can be accessed anywhere with the Internet.

I encourage the winners to be the 'Merck Foundation More Than A Mother Advocate' to further raise awareness about infertility and eliminate the stigma around it. I also welcome them as valuable members of 'Merck Foundation Alumni'."

Here is the list of Award Winners:

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

SOUTHERN AFRICAN COUNTRIES

PRINT CATEGORY WINNERS:

FIRST Position:

* RoselyneSachiti, The Herald Newspaper, ZIMBABWE

SECOND Position:

* Memory Kutengule, Malawi News Agency, MALAWI

* Mugugunye Moses, The Standard, ZIMBABWE

THIRD Position:

* Patrick Musir, The AfroNews, ZIMBABWE

* TakudzwaChihambakwe, Zimpapers Group, ZIMBABWE

SPECIAL AWARD FOR A NOVEL

* Nyasha Clementine Rwodzi, ZIMBABWE

ONLINE CATEGORY WINNERS:

FIRST Position:

* Sharon Kavhu, The Southern Times, NAMIBIA

* Gracious Mugovera, The Patriot, ZIMBABWE

SECOND Position:

* Happy Njalam'mano, Zodiak Broadcasting Station (ZBS), MALAWI

THIRD Position:

* John Manzongo, The Herald, ZIMBABWE

MULTIMEDIA CATEGORY WINNERS:

FIRST Position:

* Abel Dzobo, HELA TV, ZIMBABWE

SECOND Position:

* Rosa Teixeira, Independent Journalist, NAMIBIA

RADIO CATEGORY WINNERS:

FIRST Position:

* Linda Banda, Chanco Community Radio, MALAWI

* Veronika Haulenga-Haufiku, Omulunga Radio, Future Group, NAMIBIA

* TashieMasawi, ZBC Radio Station Classic 263, ZIMBABWE

SECOND Position:

* Mathilde NdinelaoHinfa, Independent Journalist, NAMIBIA

* IkemisetsengMarou, Radio Lesotho, LESOTHO

* Rutendo Makuti, ZBC Radio Zimbabwe, ZIMBABWE

THIRD Position:

* Memory Nkwe Ndhlovu, ZBC Radio Station Classic 263, ZIMBABWE

Here are the winners from West African Countries in partnership with 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:

* Chioma Obinna, Vanguard Media Limited, NIGERIA

ONLINE CATEGORY WINNERS:

FIRST Position:

* Martins Ifijeh, ThisDay Newspapers, NIGERIA

SECOND Position:

* Never G Lomo, New Public Trust, LIBERIA

* Chinedu Asadu, Cable Newspaper Limited, NIGERIA

RADIO CATEGORY

* Abubakar Sulaiman, Sawaba FM 104.9 Hadejia, NIGERIA

Here are the winners from East African Countries:

EAST AFRICAN COUNTRIES

ONLINE CATEGORY

* Sharon Kantengwa, The New Times, RWANDA

MULTIMEDIA CATEGORY

* Walter Mwesigye, NTV, UGANDA

RADIO CATEGORY

* Mercy Tyra Murengu, Upendo FM, KENYA

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 Guinea Conakry, H.E. CONDE DJENE; and The First Lady of Niger, H.E. AISSATA ISSOUFOU MAHAMADOU:

FRENCH SPEAKING AFRICAN COUNTRIES

PRINT CATEGORY

FIRST Position:

* Richard TAMONE, Le Standard, GUINEA

SECOND Position:

* KoamiAgbetiafa, Le Republicain, NIGER

ONLINE CATEGORY

FIRST Position:

* Lokale Odia Prisca, ACTUALITE.CD, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

SECOND Position:

* Ndeye Fatou DieryDiagne, dierysquare.blogspot.com, SENEGAL

MULTIMEDIA CATEGORY

FIRST Position:

* Fatou Fadiga, House Media RTG, GUINEA

SECOND Position:

* Jean NepomusceneIrambona, Radio TV Buntu, BURUNDI

RADIO CATEGORY

FIRST Position:

* Remy Rukundo, Radio TV Buntu, BURUNDI

* MakanSoumaoro, ESPACE FORET, GUINEA

SECOND Position:

* MagenderoBenigne, Radio TV Buntu, BURUNDI

* Aminata Bah, GUINEA

* Innocent Ndihokubwayo, Radio TV Buntu, BURUNDI

THIRD Position:

* Paulette Mugisha, Radio TV Buntu, BURUNDI

* NZEYIMANA Emelyne, Radio TV Buntu, BURUNDI

Here are the winners from Ghana in partnership with The First Lady of Ghana, H.E. REBECCA AKUFO-ADDO:

GHANA

PRINT CATEGORY

FIRST Position:

* Jonathan Donkor, The Ghan Times

SECOND Position:

* Zadok Kwame Gyesi, Graphic Online

THIRD Position:

* Ama TekyiwaaAmpadu Agyeman, New Times Corporation

ONLINE CATEGORY

* Dzifa Tetteh Tay, New Times Corporation

MULTIMEDIA CATEGORY

FIRST Position:

* EsiBenewaaOtoo, TV 3 Network

SECOND Position:

* Akua Oforiwa Darko, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation

RADIO CATEGORY

* Doreen Ampofo, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation Radio

Here are the winners from Zambia in partnership with The First Lady of Zambia, H.E. ESTHER LUNGU:

ZAMBIA

PRINT CATEGORY

* Jessie Ngoma -Simengwa, Times of Zambia

MULTIMEDIA CATEGORY

* Effie Mphande, Zambia Broadcasting Corporation Radio

RADIO CATEGORY

Josias Muuba, Radio Musi-O-Tunya

About 'Merck More Than a Mother' campaign

"Merck 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 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 More Than a Mother" are:

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 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

* Local songs with local artists to address the cultural perception of infertility and how to change it

* Children storybook, localized for each country

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( With inputs from ANI )