Merck Foundation has announced the winners of its 2025 Fashion, Song and Film Awards, held in partnership with the First Ladies of Africa.
A total of 51 winners from 15 countries were recognised for their creative works promoting awareness of key social and health issues.
The awards were held under two themes: More Than a Mother and Diabetes & Hypertension. The More Than a Mother category focused on addressing social challenges such as infertility stigma, girl child education, women’s empowerment, child marriage, female genital mutilation, and gender-based violence.
The Diabetes & Hypertension category promoted awareness on prevention and early detection of non-communicable diseases through healthy lifestyle messaging.
Merck Foundation CEO, Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej, congratulated the winners, noting that their work creatively communicated powerful social and health messages. She praised the quality and impact of submissions received from across the continent.
Alongside the announcement, the Foundation also opened applications for the 2026 edition of the Fashion, Song and Film Awards, in partnership with First Ladies of Africa and Asia. Young creatives across Africa are invited to submit works under both themes, with a focus on using art and media to drive social change and public health awareness.
The 2026 awards will once again feature categories in fashion, music, film, and media recognition, with submission deadlines set for 30 September 2026 for “More Than a Mother” categories and 30 October 2026 for “Diabetes & Hypertension” categories.
Through these initiatives, Merck Foundation continues to use creative arts as a platform to promote social transformation, health awareness, and community empowerment across Africa and beyond.
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