ISSUE 48/DEC2022 - Flipbook - Page 28
Africa’s Most Influential Women | EVERYDAY HEROES
Since 2015, Dr Kelej has been tirelessly working closely with more than
20 African First Ladies, who are also the Ambassadors of Merck Foundation
“More Than a Mother” campaign.
legacy,” explains Dr Kelej, on the
importance of providing this vital
specialist training for doctors.
More than a Mother —
breaking the infertility stigma
Between 2019, 2020 and 2021, Dr
Kelej has deservedly been listed on
various platforms as one of Africa’s
Most Influential women, for her
campaign to empower the oftmarginalised childless and infertile
women, by educating them and
their communities through access
to relevant information aimed at
changing deeply ingrained beliefs
and helping to change of mindset
towards the issue.
Since 2015, she has been tirelessly
working closely with more than
20 African First Ladies, who are
also the Ambassador of Merck
Foundation “More Than a Mother”,
to de-stigmatise the issue. She
frequently visits communities in
Africa to interact directly with
those affected by the scourge
and offer first hand support. As
28 l
New African Woman
l Dec 2022
Ester from Malawi, a beneficiary
of this campaign tells us: “Dr Kelej
walks the talk with us. When she
visited my community in Malawi,
her message and support left me
feeling worthy and I no longer see
being childless as being abnormal.
I do not have to have children to
prove my worthiness as a woman,
and it was through her strong
message that I learnt to accept
myself. That is very uplifting. I now
know I can be and do anything
and no one has the right to judge
me, just because I happen not to
have children. I am ‘More Than a
Mother’.”
Partnering with African Media
and Artists
As the current world order
teaches, information dissemination
is key to yielding intended results,
especially if done factually and
appropriately. And Dr Kelej is
a strong believer in the critical
role that the Media and The Arts
industries play, in giving, or being