Français
INDIA | CHENNAI
Roshan Susairaj
SENEGAL | DAKAR
Awa Gueye
SOUTH AFRICA | PRETORIA
Dr Behki Maliba
MONACO / FRANCE | PARIS / MONACO
Stealla Almondo
BURKINA FASO / CANADA
Saidou Hassan
FRANCE / BELGIUM
Faustine Blanchard
Roshan Susairaj
After a difficult childhood and economic hardships had severely impacted Roshan and his family, the Cuomo Foundation implemented a program to overlook his development.
Roshan with his mother Sujatha and his sister Jenifer attending a concert - Rome, May 2017.
In 2008, as a very young boy Roshan Susairaj suffered the loss of his lower limb. The extent of the amputation and a badly ill fitting prosthetic leg further added to his health complications. When he was 10 years old the Foundation was introduced to Roshan and began contributing to the young boy’s recovery and rehabilitation. He was fitted with a correct femoral prosthesis in 2013 and provided with appropriate physiotherapy.
After completing his schooling in Chennai, Roshan enrolled in the faculty of science in his home town and successfully obtained a bachelor's degree in computer science. This achievement, coupled with passing the TOEFL exam, enabled him to enter a London university, where the young man, now 21, is pursuing a master's degree.
This strengthening process could not be complete without the consolidation of his family fabric. A more comprehensive approach to support was therefore adopted in 2016.
As a result, Roshan's sister, Jenifer, was awarded a scholarship that enabled her to attend a higher education institution in Chennai, while improving her English. She is now a bank employee and has thus gained economic independence, a crucial development in the career of this young woman who is taking her destiny into her own hands.
Roshan and Jenifer’s mother Sujatha has also benefited from a program of vocational retraining and funding that has allowed her to regain a sense of self-worth and also support her family. After selecting to train as a qualified seamstress, she has opened her own Sari boutique and workshop in the Mylapore district of Chennai, close to her home. She is boosted not only by the financial independence she has created but also by the social life it makes possible.
Today, Sujatha approaches her future with confidence and her two children are undoubtedly the direct beneficiaries of the optimism that now prevails in their family.
« Spread My Wings » - interview with Roshan Susairaj (filmed in 2019)
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Awa Gueye
In 2012, a severely unwell young Senegalese girl called Awa Gueye underwent life changing cardio surgery in Dakar to correct rheumatic mitral valve regurgitation…
Young Awa Gueye with Maria Elena Cuomo and Francisco A. Diaz Lison at the Cuomo Cardio-Pediatric Center - Dakar, January 2018.
The medical procedure was carried out effectively by the eminent cardiologist Prof. Gilles Dreyfus ; as an humanitarian action initiated jointly between the Cuomo Foundation and the French NGO La Chaîne de l’Espoir.
Subsequently the Cuomo Foundation would be responsible for the funding of the CCPC in Dakar, the first cardio paediatric surgical centre in West Africa. Rheumatic heart disease remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children and young adults in the developing world.
After being treated Awa Gueye was able to resume her schooling and in 2017 a Cuomo Foundation scholarship award enabled her to enter Engineering College in Dakar (Ecole supérieure polytechnique de Dakar) to study for a 3yrs degree in Applied Biology and Chemical Engineering. In 2020 she successfully graduated and so impressed the Foundation that they agreed to continue support and funding for her Masters studies. The closure of colleges last year due to Senegalese Covid-19 restrictions have now ended and Awa has commenced her 4th college year which will culminate in obtaining a Masters in Biological Engineering and Biotechnology. Her future now looks bright with the prospects of a career in Research Biology becoming a reality.
I could never thank the Cuomo Foundation enough for saving me from the horrors of my heart disease and through its support allowing me to fulfill a wish that was dear to me; being able to carry out my educational project.
– Awa Gueye
"A Heart on the Hand" - a film about Awa Gueye directed by Senegalese filmmaker Moussa Sène Absa.
Dr Behki Maliba
Dr. Behki Maliba, a South African researcher and entrepreneur, exemplifies the Cuomo Foundation’s dedication to advancing research and fostering professional development. His career serves as a testament to the foundation’s commitment to nurturing talent within the research community, reflecting successful outcomes that align with its mission.
Dr. Maliba was one of the six research scholars funded and supported by the Cuomo Foundation from the IPCC scholarship programme of 2013-2015.He successfully completed his doctorate in 2016 focussing on the impacts of C02 and 03 on the yield and photosynthesis in Brassica napus. In 2022, the foundation continued to support Dr. Maliba by sponsoring his MBA in Agribusiness Management. With additional foundation funding, he began his own enterprise in July 2024, focussing on support for agricultural students.
I completed my MBA in November 2023 and graduated in July 2024.
The programme, fully funded by the Cuomo Foundation, enabled me to undertake a research project on the adaptive capacity of semi-commercial farmers in the face of climate change. The study examined strategies employed by these farmers—such as adopting disease-resistant or high-yielding crop varieties, practicing crop rotation to maintain soil health, and utilizing stored water for irrigation. However, significant disparities in access to finance emerged, revealing starkly different economic realities. This highlighted the critical importance of financial resources in effective adaptation. Despite these differences, participants widely agreed that mitigation strategies—such as crop diversification and the conservation of water and soil resources—can substantially enhance agricultural productivity.
My project to assist students in establishing themselves in farming is also progressing well. Thanks to your financial support, I have been able to overcome numerous challenges and steadily implement a model designed to be economically viable and self-sufficient in the medium term. To date, the project is on a promising trajectory, and I am confident it will achieve long-term stability if we maintain our current efforts.
Looking ahead, I aim to focus on my current role at the Public Investment Corporation while deepening my research in sustainable development, particularly to contribute to Sustainable Development Goal 13: Climate Action*. My ambition is to leverage the skills acquired during my PhD and MBA studies to take meaningful, practical steps that benefit the society in which I live.
I am also still considering the purchase of a farm. My initial motivation for pursuing an MBA was to equip myself with the knowledge and tools needed to run a business—specifically, a farm dedicated to producing environmentally friendly goods.
I am currently working on securing the financing necessary to bring this project, which is very close to my heart, to life.
- Dr Behki Maliba
**Climate Action (SDG 13) is one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Stella Almondo
Since 2023, the Cuomo Foundation has been providing financial support for the developing career of pianist Stella Almondo. The 3-year funding scholarship, totalling €76,000, enables her to receive a tailored education adapted to the demands of her life as a musician.
In 2024, the young pianist recorded her first album with the Naïve/Believe label and performed numerous concerts across Europe.
One of the highlights of the year was the recording and release of my very first album, PASSION, on Naïve/Believe—a true milestone in the early stages of my career. The reviews have been incredibly encouraging, earning 4 diapasons in Diapason magazine and praise from France Musique, Radio Classique, Classica, ConcertoNet.com, and others.
This year, I also had the honour of becoming a Steinway & Sons Young Artist. I was fortunate to perform to full houses twice at the legendary Salle Cortot in Paris, as well as giving recitals in prestigious venues such as the Automobile Club de France, the Opéra de Reims, the Abbaye de la Cambre in Brussels, MIDEM in Cannes, the Théâtre des Variétés in Monaco for the Amis du Printemps des Arts, Strasbourg, and Luxembourg for the 43rd Bourglinster Festival. A particularly memorable moment was the recital I gave on my 18th birthday at the 41st Heures Musicales de Biot.
Another enriching experience was recording a recital at Salle Gaveau for Canal+, C8, and Mezzo, showcasing works by Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Scriabin, and Liszt.
I also successfully passed my general BAC with distinction through correspondence studies, proving that commitment to academics and passion for music can go hand in hand.
I am now pursuing my musical career while completing my second year of the Licence at the CNSMDP and my Artist Diploma at the École Normale Alfred Cortot. Balancing these dual paths requires organisation, dedication, and discipline, but I am determined to succeed in both.
Looking ahead to 2025, I am eagerly preparing to record my second album, scheduled for April, and continue my concert tour. Being on stage is what I love most—sharing emotions and filling hearts with beautiful music.
As I reflect on my first year in Paris, I see how much it has transformed me. I am growing both artistically and personally settling into life away from my family, discovering new strengths, and becoming more independent.
I continue to work hard to achieve my goals and to honour the trust placed in me by my family, my country, and the Cuomo Foundation. Your invaluable support allows me to study with peace of mind and inspires me to give my very best every day.
Thank you for your continued support. I look forward to continuing this wonderful musical journey with you by my side.
- Stella Almondo
Saidou Hassan
Saidou Hassane is currently pursuing a PhD in Regional and Territorial Development at the Université du Québec à Rimouski, Canada.
Since 2023, the Cuomo Foundation has supported Saidou in his doctoral studies. He is currently in the preparatory phase of his thesis project.
Originally from the Sahel region of Burkina Faso, I have witnessed first-hand the gradual deterioration of the situation in my country. This worsening context has not only limited my ability to carry out fieldwork, but has also compelled me to shelter some of my own relatives, who have become Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the capital.
Initially, my goal was to support marginalised youth — to provide them with food, energy access, and help them reintegrate into society. But in the face of conflict and mass displacement, I had to adapt my ambitions.
My desire to contribute to a deeper understanding — and ultimately the resolution — of the crises affecting the Sahel led me to enrol in the PhD programme in Regional and Territorial Development at the Université du Québec à Rimouski in the autumn of 2022. My research focuses on the impact of conflict on agropastoral practices in the Sahel region of Burkina Faso over the past decade.
Thanks to the financial support of the Cuomo Foundation, I was able to defend my thesis proposal on 15 October 2024. I am currently awaiting ethical approval to begin collecting field data in Burkina Faso, which will serve as the foundation for the writing of my dissertation.
- Saidou Hassan
Faustine Blanchard
Faustine Blanchard is an exceptionally talented young classical singer whom the Foundation recognized for her extraordinary vocal abilities during a school concert in Paris, where she performed as a student with the ‘Demoiselles des maisons d’éducation de la Légion d’honneur’.
Her captivating voice showcased her impressive potential. After graduating with distinctions in her baccalaureate from the maisons d’éducation de la Légion d’honneur in 2024, she chose to focus on her passion for classical singing. That same year, the Cuomo Foundation awarded her an individual scholarship, and she is currently in her first year at the prestigious Royal Conservatory of Brussels.
Everything is going really well for me in Brussels, and I truly feel that I’m making steady progress. I’m finally settling into a calmer rhythm after several intense weeks of rehearsals for Mozart’s The Magic Flute, which we staged at the Conservatory and performed four times before Brussels audiences.
This was a first for the Conservatory: a nearly full-scale opera production bringing together singers, orchestra, and student conductors. The organisation was worthy of a professional theatre — intensive rehearsals, detailed staging, dressing rooms, makeup sessions, and even a costume designer making last-minute adjustments backstage… total immersion!
It was also my very first time performing with a live orchestra — a dimension that brought incredible depth to both the music and the experience. The project aimed to launch the final-year Master’s students, while allowing newcomers like me to observe, learn, and collaborate with them. It was an immensely enriching experience. I was able to witness the work of more advanced singers, grasp the demands of such a production, and take part in the daily rehearsals. I feel proud and grateful to have participated in such a project during my very first year.
It has made me even more determined to keep progressing and to give the best of myself.
My heartfelt thanks for your support, without which I could not embrace these experiences with such dedication and peace of mind.
- Faustine Blanchard
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