In December 2019 edition of the New African magazine, Dr. Rasha Kelej, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Merck Foundation has been recognized as one of the top 100 most influential Africans of 2019.
This recognition is a reflection of Dr. Kelej’s achievements in African charitable work, and her success in launching “More Than a Mother” initiative, aimed at empowering infertile women through access to information, education, and health, as well as changing mindset.
The New African magazine’s list of the 100 most influential Africans consists of 100 high-achieving African figures in different fields including; political, economic, social, and sports ones.
Kelej is considered the 1st Egyptian to be chosen for this list, and the 1st African to assume the presidency of one of the largest charitable foundations in Europe, with more than two million African followers on social media pages.
Most Influential Africans’ list is carried out via opinion polls, through which the most key achievements of individuals in various African countries and sectors are monitored, according to the New African Magazine.
Some of the people making the list include recent Nobel Peace Prize winner, Ethiopia’s Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed; Kenyan world record breaker Eliud Kipchoge; the marathon runner, Amina J Mohammed; deputy secretary-general of the United Nations; Tewolde Gebremariam; CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, as well as Alaa Salah, the 22-year-old Sudanese protester now referred to as Lady Liberty, a student of architectural engineering who became the face of the people’s revolution in Sudan that brought down Omar Al-Bashir.
