Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India]/ Accra [Ghana], January 13 (ANI/BusinessWire India): Merck Foundation, 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 Arsene-Jonathan Mosseavo, lanoca.over-blog.com, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC SECOND Position: Jessy NZENGU, Palmier community Radio Television channel broadcasting, DRC Brehima 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 Television Debout Kasai (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 FERRAO NYUSI AFRICAN PORTUGUESE SPEAKING COUNTRIES RADIO CATEGORY FIRST Position: Abdul Remane Alifate Ibraimo, Radio a voz do islam ( cidade da Matola), MOZAMBIQUE MULTIMEDIA CATEGORY FIRST Position: Hugo Neves Chauque 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. 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: 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 Click on the link below to Download Merck Foundation App https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.merck.foundation&hl=en Join the conversation on our social media platforms below and let your voice be heard Facebook: MerckFoundation Twitter: @Merckfoundation YouTube: MerckFoundation Instagram: MerckFoundation Flickr: MerckFoundation Website: www.merck-foundation.com This story is provided by BusinessWire India. 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