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, 20202021 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 relevantprecise 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 familycommunity; 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 COUNTRIESPRINT CATEGORY WINNERS:FIRST Position:Solly Johane, Incredible Multi Investment, BOTSWANASECOND Position:Silence Mugadzaweta, NewsDay, ZIMBABWEONLINE CATEGORY WINNERS:FIRST Position:Adolf Kaure, Namibia Media Holdings, NAMIBIAMuchaneta Chimuka, Zimpapers Covid-19 Newsletter, ZIMBABWETendai Rupapa, The Herald, ZIMBABWESECOND Position:Elizabeth Sitotombe, The Patriot Newspaper, ZIMBABWENevson Mpofu, www.panafricanvisions.com, ZIMBABWETHIRD Position:Silence Mugadzaweta, NewsDay, ZIMBABWEVeronica Gwaze, Sunday Mail, ZIMBABWEShireen van Wyk, shayblogger, NAMIBIAMULTIMEDIA CATEGORY WINNERS:FIRST Position:Effie M. Mphande, Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation, ZAMBIAPeter Chivhima, ZIMBABWE BROADCASTING CORPORATION, ZIMBABWEMandy Pondani and Howard Dzingomvera, Times Media Group, MALAWISECOND Position:MARIE-INNOCENCIA SEGULA, MBC-TV, MALAWIRADIO CATEGORY WINNERS:FIRST Position:Gaone Lorato Kgaswanyane-Khumomatlhare, Gabz FM, BOTSWANAPrudence Chibale Siabana, Radio Phoenix, ZAMBIASECOND Position:Charles Chindongo, MBC TV, MALAWIHere 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 COUNTRIESPRINT CATEGORY WINNERS:FIRST Position:Dzifa Tetteh Tay, The Spectator, GHANASECOND Position:Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyema, New Times Corporation (Ghanaian Times/The Spectator), GHANAAlfred Nii Arday Ankrah, The Spectator Newspaper, GHANATHIRD Position:Efia Akese, The Mirror, GHANABenedicta Gyimaah Folley, Ghanian Times, GHANAONLINE CATEGORY WINNERS:FIRST Position:Prosper Kwame Kuorsoh, Ghana New Agency, GHANASECOND Position:Prince Kwame Tamakloe, Rainbow Radio Int and Zami Report, GHANAAbiodun Azi, News Agency of Nigeria, NIGERIATHIRD Position:Ishmael Sallieu Koroma, Pan African Visions, SIERRA LEONEMavis Offei Acheampong, GHANA BROADCASTING CORPORATION (GBC), GHANANever G Lomo, newspuplictrust.com, LIBERIARADIO CATEGORYFIRST Position:Mavis Offei Acheampong, GHANA BROADCASTING CORPORATION (GBC), GHANAMULTIMEDIA CATEGORY WINNERS:FIRST Position:Ndey Ceesay, Eyeafrica Tv, GAMBIAWENDY LARYEA, TV3 Network Ltd., GHANASECOND Position:Clara Mlano, Ghana Broadasting Corporation, GHANATHIRD Position:Beatrice Spio-Garbrah, TV3, GHANAHere are the winners from East African Countries:EAST AFRICAN COUNTRIESPRINT CATEGORY WINNERS:FIRST Position:Evance Ng'ingo, Tanzania Standard Newspaper, TANZANIAONLINE CATEGORYFIRST Position:Nelson Mandela, PML Daily, UGANDASECOND Position:Dorcas Wangir, CITIZEN TV, KENYADelphine Maombi, newtimes.co.rw, RWANDATHIRD Position:Tulinagwe A. Malopa, Dar es Salaam, TANZANIAMULTIMEDIA CATEGORYFIRST Position:Ruth Kadide Keah, Radio Rahma, KENYASECOND Position:Mercy Tyra Murengu, Stringer for Voice of America, KENYATHIRD Position:Zainab Mohammed, TV47 Kenya, KENYARADIO CATEGORYFIRST Position:Veronica Romwald Mrema, www.boresha.online, TANZANIASECOND Position:Asha Bekidusa, Bahari FM, KENYAMwanaisha Makumbuli, Highlands Fm RADIO, TANZANIATHIRD Position:Adam Gabriel Hhando, CG FM RADIO, TANZANIAHere 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 COUNTRIESPRINT CATEGORYFIRST Position:Koami Agbetiafa, Niger Inter Hebdo, NIGERONLINE CATEGORYFIRST Position:Cassien Tribunal Aungane, DiplomacyDevelopment, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGOJean-Bosco NTACONAYIGIZE, Radio TV Buntu, BURUNDIArsene-Jonathan Mosseavo, lanoca.over-blog.com, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLICSECOND Position:Jessy NZENGU, Palmier community Radio Television channel broadcasting, DRCBrehima Traore, alert-mali.com, MALITHIRD Position:Alphonse Julio Gada, Global News/Directeur de Publication, BENINRADIO CATEGORYFIRST Position:Remy Rukundo, RADIO TV BUNTU, BURUNDIJeanine Nyabenda, Ijisho Web Site News TV, BURUNDIRosemathe, Hope Chanel Television Goma, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGOMatthias Kabuya Tshilumba, Radio Television Debout Kasai (RTDK) Mbuji-Mayi, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGOSECOND Position:Ndayishimiye Cyriaque, Radio TV BUNTU, BURUNDIOuedraogo Boureim, Radio the Voice of the Farmer, BURKINA FASOHere are the winners from African Portuguese Speaking Countries in partnership with The First Lady of Mozambique, H.E. Mrs. ISAURA FERRAO NYUSIAFRICAN PORTUGUESE SPEAKING COUNTRIESRADIO CATEGORYFIRST Position:Abdul Remane Alifate Ibraimo, Radio a voz do islam ( cidade da Matola), MOZAMBIQUEMULTIMEDIA CATEGORYFIRST Position:Hugo Neves Chauque Firmino, Grupo SOICO, MOZAMBIQUELATIN-AMERICAN COUNTRIESONLINE CATEGORYFIRST Position:Juliana Arreguy, UOL, BRAZILAna Catalina Baldrich Chaparro, RCN RAdio y LA FM, COLOMBIAASIAN COUNTRIESPRINT CATEGORYFIRST Position:Parikshit Nirbhay, Amar Ujala, INDIASECOND Position:Hemwati Nandan Rajaura, Hindustan Newspaper, INDIAONLINE CATEGORYFIRST Position:Amrita Didyala, The Times of India, INDIASECOND Position:Payal Banerjee, PTI, INDIATHIRD Position:Milan Rijal, Online Khabar, INDIAMULTIMEDIA CATEGORYFIRST 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 lovecare 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, EducationGender, 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 shedeserves 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 AwardsLocal songs with local artists to address the cultural perception of infertility and how to change itChildren storybook, localized for each countryClick on the link below to Download Merck Foundation AppJoin the conversation on our social media platforms below and let your voice be heardFacebook:Twitter:YouTube:Instagram:Flickr:Website:This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/BusinessWire India)