The “Merck STEM Program for Women and Youth” aims to empower women and youth in the felds of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Through its annual platform, the UNESCO-Merck Africa Research Summit (MARS), the Merck STEM program prepares the road for young and female African researchers to drive Africa’s development as an international hub for research. In addition, the Merck Foundation targets to empower over 7,000 girls and 60 women researchers across Africa in 2017 through various initiatives, including providing training opportunities, setting up computer libraries in schools, and appointing the UNESCO-MARS research award winners as ambassadors for the Merck STEM Program.