By Memory Kutengule Chatonda
Blantyre, October 29, Mana: First Lady, Monica Cha kwera has reaffirmed her commitment to advancing efforts to promote gir ls’ education and empower women with infertility conditions.
In her keynote address during the inauguration of the 11th edition of the Merck Foundation Africa – Asia Luminary held in Tanzan ia on Tuesday, Chakwera said since Malawi, through her office, partnered with the Merck Foundation in 2020, a great impact has been registered in the areas of education, hea lth and the overall well-being of people.
“Under the Educat ion Linda Initiative, we have provided scholarships to 79 high- achievin g girls in seco ndary schools. Additionally, we have provided 48 scholarships to young medical doctors to specialize in crucial medical areas,” she added.
Chakwera, who is also the Merck Foundation’s “More Than a Bride” Ambassador, added that Malawi has also moved steadily and quickly in sensitiz ing women with infert ility conditions through various educational programmes and empow ering them with income-generating a ctivities to become self-reli ant.
“We will continue to advocate for a cultural shift regarding a wide range of social and heaIth issues, including breaking the stigma around in fert ility, supporting girls’ education and ending child marriage,” she said
Speaking earlier, the chairperson of the Merck Foundation Board of Trustees, Prof. Frank
Stangenberg-Haverka mp said the foundation will continue to work with the First Ladies
from African countries and Asia to build healthcare capacity through the provision of
scholarships in underserved medical specialties such as oncology, diabetes, cardiology
and sexual and reproductive medicine.
He said this intervention would help to address the substantial challenges faced by medical specialists in count ries in Africa and Asia.
The Merck Foundat ion is a Un ited States-based charitable organization that aims to improve the health and well-being of people and advan ce their lives through science and technology.
This year, the Merck Foundation Africa-Asia Luminary has attracted keynote speakers
and the First Ladies of Burundi, Cape Verde, the Cent ral African Republic, the Democratic
Republic of Congo, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, The Maldives, Malawi, Mozambique, Zanzibar and Zimbabwe.
