Monrovia, Liberia - The office of Liberia’s First Lady Clar Marie Weah in collaboration with the German NGO, Merck Foundation has organized a special training in medical reporting for 150 Liberian journalists. The Health Media Training is scheduled for May 27, 2019.

Merck Foundation, the Philanthropic arm of the Merck KGaA Germany, is a non-profit organization that working to improve the health and wellbeing of people and advance their lives through science and technology.

The one day media training is part the ‘More Than a Mother’ initiative of Merck Foundation which empowers infertile women through access to information, education, and health and by changing mindsets.

The initiative supports governments in defining policies to enhance access to regulated, safe and effective fertility care and defines interventions to break the stigma around infertile women and raises awareness about infertility prevention and management.

The training program will focus on the international standards and media ethics for reporting sensitive issues like infertility in Africa.

Merck Foundation and the office of the First Lady seek to engage the media in helping to eradicate the stigma associated with infertility in Liberia and across Africa.

Meanwhile, Merck Foundation will introduce the Merck More Than a Mother Media Recognition Awards and announce a call for application during the training.

The media awards recognize outstanding journalists or media institutions whose work significantly contributes to enhancing the public’s understanding of infertility stigma and triggers change of mind-sets about infertility.

Other awards to be announced are the Merck More Than a Mother Fashion and Films Awards as well as the Merck Diabetes Award.