How did the idea come about to write/record a song as part of the Merck More Than a Mother community awareness effort?

At Merck Foundation, we strongly believe that  art can make a difference; it can help bring about a positive change as it has the capacity to make the problem felt, which further stimulates emotions and leads to engagement and action. Hence we used this medium to address the issue of infertility with a special focus on male infertility and breaking the stigma around infertile women. . We are certain that this song will add significant value to influence the culture change we are advocating in the African countries and rest of the world which is women are more than just mothers but they productive members in society who deserve to be respected whether they have children or not.  

Was it the singer or did the plan come from Merck?
Merck Foundation came up with this idea and then collaborated with the singer and songwriter Tom Close, who is also a doctor from Rwanda. I worked closely with him to come up with the lyrics of this song which includes all important messaged that we wish to deliver to the society.  But we also cooperated and will cooperate with many other singers such as the song “ worriers “ bu Suzanne , a famous singer from Kenya and a theme so g called “ More than a Mother” by a young singer from Sierra Leone her name is Rozzi and it was featured by a tap singer from Kenya , Octipizo. 
We are planning to develop a song from each country and in french too. Fir example we have now a new song in the production from The Gambia. I strongly believe involving art and specially music and songs is the correct strategy to create a culture shift and change mindset specially with regards to youth. 
 

What is the overall message to people and why is it important to get that outto people in Africa and the rest of the world? 
According to WHO data 2016, one in every four couples in Africa and developing countries are infertile which means about 180M couples are infertile. Incidence is much higher than in Europe and developed countries which around maximum 8% to 9%. Hence, it was important for us to focus on this region. According to many research ; around 85% of these cases are due to untreated infectious diseases which result from FGM , child Marriage , unsafe abortion , unsafe delivery or STDs. Hence prevention is very critical to reduce infertility incidence in Africa. 
In many culture women are the ones to be blamed for infertility while infertility affects men and women equally. Hence raising awareness about male  infertility and breaking this stigma is critical. 
 
With “Merck More than a mother”, we have initiated a cultural shift to de-stigmatize infertility on all levels: By improving awareness, training the skills of local experts who are currently very limited , building advocacy in cooperation with decision makers and by supporting childless women in starting their own small business. It’s all about giving every woman the respect and the help she deserves to live a fulfilling life, with or without a child. And about improving their access to quality and equitable fertility care when needed. 
 
Any other comments or thoughts about the overall effort and the new song?
Through this song and our other efforts, we are trying to encourage men to speak up and discuss their infertility problem openly. And support their wives during the treatment journey.  Men in Africa are very kind, once they realize the scientific facts, and that infertility has nothing to do with their sexuality, they support the idea of getting tested and start to deal with the society and family pressure on themselves and their wives. 
 
Dr. Rasha Kelej - B.Sc Pharma, MBA
Chief Executive Officer- CEO 

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The Merck Foundation, established in 2017, is the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, aims to improve the health and wellbeing of people and advance their lives through science and technology. Our efforts are primarily focused on improving access to quality & equitable healthcare solutions in underserved communities, building healthcare and scientific research capacity and empowering people in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) with a special focus on women and youth. All Merck Foundation press releases are distributed by e-mail at the same time they become available on the Merck Foundation Website.  Please visit www.merck-foundation.com to read more. To know more, reach out to our social media: Merck Foundation; Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Flicker.

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Merck is a leading science and technology company in healthcare, life science and performance materials. Almost 52,000 employees work to further develop technologies that improve and enhance life – from biopharmaceutical therapies to treat cancer or multiple sclerosis, cutting-edge systems for scientific research and production, to liquid crystals for smartphones and LCD televisions.

Founded in 1668, Merck is the world's oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company. The founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed corporate group. Merck holds the global rights to the Merck name and brand. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the company operates as EMD Serono, MilliporeSigma.