The New African Magazine of the United Kingdom has recognised the Chief Executive Officer of the Merck Foundation, Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej, as one of the 100 Most Influential Africans for 2025, in recognition of her outstanding contributions to transforming healthcare and empowering women and girls across Africa and Asia.
Dr. Kelej shares this prestigious recognition with African leaders including the Presidents of Angola, South Africa, and Ghana. This marks her seventh consecutive year on the influential list, underscoring her sustained impact on public health, education, and social change.
The annual special edition of New African Magazine celebrates individuals shaping Africa’s present and future leaders, innovators, and change-makers whose work continues to drive transformation across the continent and beyond.
Speaking on the recognition, Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej described the honour as deeply meaningful, noting that it reflects years of collective effort to strengthen healthcare capacity, empower women living with infertility, and promote girl child education.
Through the Merck Foundation, Dr. Kelej has led groundbreaking initiatives focused on education, healthcare, and mindset change.
The Foundation has provided 2,500 scholarships, including 770 specialised clinical training scholarships for healthcare providers from 42 countries across Africa and Asia.
These cover fertility care, embryology, sexual and reproductive medicine, women’s health, psychiatry, biotechnology of assisted reproduction, urology, laparoscopic surgery, and family medicine critical areas for advancing equitable and quality healthcare for women.
Beyond clinical training, the Merck Foundation has also supported childless women through its “Empowering Berna” programme, helping beneficiaries establish small businesses and achieve financial independence.
According to Dr. Kelej, the goal is to ensure that every woman is respected and supported to live a fulfilling life, with or without a child.
Education remains a central pillar of Dr. Kelej’s advocacy. In partnership with African First Ladies, the Merck Foundation has awarded over 1,200 annual scholarships to high performing, underprivileged schoolgirls from 19 African countries, enabling them to complete their education and reach their full potential.
Beneficiary countries include Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and several others across the continent.
Dr. Rasha Kelej is widely celebrated as a trailblazer whose vision continues to transform lives breaking infertility stigma, strengthening women’s health systems, and advancing education as a tool for sustainable development across Africa.
