BANJUL — First Lady Kartumu Yarta Boakai has urged African women to embrace innovation rooted in compassion, declaring that “it’s Africa’s turn to lead” as she addressed fellow First Ladies and dignitaries at the 12th Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary Conference.
Speaking at the event, which began October 14 and ends October 15, 2025, in Banjul, the Liberian First Lady said Liberia’s partnership with the Merck Foundation “is only the beginning” of a transformative journey to strengthen healthcare, empower women, and fight stigma across the continent.
The conference is attended by First Ladies and dignitaries from Liberia, Senegal, Gambia (host), São Tomé, Burundi, the Central African Republic, and Nigeria.
“Let me remind us of an African proverb,” Boakai said. “When the roots are deep, there is no reason to fear the wind.”
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“We are the roots. And our children must not fear the winds of poverty, stigma, or lack. We must be the shelter, the soil, and the sun. Only then will Africa rise with our daughters leading with wisdom, with will, and with wombs full of vision.”
Calling the gathering “a cathedral of compassion,” she said it represents women who nurture nations — “transcending the titles of politicians’ wives to become purpose-driven mothers of Africa.”
Madam Boakai stressed that the event was not ceremonial but a call to action:
“If women are the backbone of society, then First Ladies must be the moral spine of leadership,” she said. “In a continent rising, let it be said: the First Ladies here today did more than witness the change, we became its very expression.”
She praised Dr. Rasha Kelej and Prof. Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp of the Merck Foundation, describing them as “the visionary fire-starter and the steady lighthouse of wisdom.”
“The Merck Foundation surpasses a foundation, it is a fountain of transformation,” Boakai said. “You have walked with us into ministries, hospitals, schools, and communities — the silent corners where stigma hides.”
Liberia’s Milestones with Merck Foundation
Boakai highlighted Liberia’s tangible progress under the partnership:
- 52 Liberian doctors have received Merck Foundation scholarships in critical, underserved fields.
- 71 new scholarships are currently being processed.
- Several Ministry of Health leaders, including the Minister of Health, are Merck alumni.
“In my Liberian vernacular, I say, ‘Thank you plenty, Merck!’ You have trained individuals and planted institutions within people,” she said.
Through the Educating Linda Program, the First Lady noted, her office and the Foundation are supporting 40 brilliant but disadvantaged girls — 20 from previous years and 20 newly added.
“These are not just scholarships,” she said. “They are tickets to dignity and shields against poverty.”
Advocacy Through Creativity and Compassion
Boakai emphasized the need to reshape mindsets through art and communication.
“Health is born first in the home, shaped by mindsets and messages people consume — long before it reaches the hospital,” she said, praising Merck Foundation’s use of songs, films, storybooks, and fashion to tell stories of healing and hope.
She added:
“Together, we are dismantling stigma, silencing shame, and elevating empathy. Infertility is not a woman’s fault. Mental illness is not taboo. Addiction is not a death sentence. And every girl has the right to dream beyond her circumstances.”
Liberia’s New Vision for Healing
The First Lady revealed that in July 2025, Liberia launched a $3 million multi-purpose village designed as a sanctuary for mothers facing trauma, youth overcoming addiction, and children living with autism or intellectual disabilities.
“It is no ordinary village — it is a place of transformation,” she said. “In Africa’s oldest republic, the cradle of Pan-African hope, Liberia is ready — and we invite you to stand with us.”
She invoked the imagery of a potter and clay to describe the resilience of African women:
“The clay feared the fire, but the potter said, ‘Without the furnace, you will remain fragile.’ So the clay endured the fire and became strong — a vessel fit for service. So too are the women of Africa — refined not by ease, but by fire.”
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A Call to Action
“My sisters, we are more than First Ladies — we are the first responders to suffering, the first believers in potential, and the first defenders of dignity,” Boakai said. “Let us not leave here with only handshakes and photo-ops, but with commitments carved into policy, shaped by data, and sealed in love.”
She concluded with a rallying message:
“To Merck Foundation, I say: thank you for making us stronger. To my sisters, I say: let’s go home and multiply this movement. To the world, I say: watch Africa rise, led by women, lifted by mothers, and fueled by faith.”
Closing with an African proverb, she said:
“Until the lion learns to write, every story will glorify the hunter. It’s time Africa tells her own story, through her daughters, her doctors, and her dreams. Let us write that story boldly, with Merck as our ink and sisterhood as our strength.”