Graduate Fellows 2024-25
Maimouna Salou, holds a Bachelor's Degree in Private Law and a Master's Degree in Business
Law and Taxation (in progress), and has a wealth of experience with several organizations, including
Plan International, a large international NGO, which has allowed her to travel in the field, in the
regions, to meet the children and young people who benefit from the various programs
implemented in several projects. She is currently working with the Next Leadership Program to
build the capacity and leadership skills of young people in Niger to prepare them for their future
academic and professional lives.
Maïmouna is passionate about the education of young girls, especially keeping them in school,
and about youth engagement. She never misses an opportunity to draw young people's attention to
their education and training, and to actively contribute to building their skills.
Coming from an area where insecurity undermines the lives of many of her compatriots, she is
now thinking about how to create educational frameworks and second chances for these children
and young people who are already disadvantaged and victims of insecurity and internal displacement.
Ijeoma Seraphie Obiedelu, from Nigeria in West Africa, is a passionate mediator, development
professional, and a Christian. She is pursuing a Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Global
Development, currently, she is an Einaudi Director's Fellow with the Institute of African
Development at Cornell. She is focused on economic empowerment for women in Africa, as a
tool to aid poverty reduction and gender equity on the continent. Ijeoma blends her knowledge
with a genuine desire for social advancement to build stronger, more equitable communities
across Africa.
Prior to attending Cornell, Ijeoma was a UNDP Nigeria Fellow working with Building Blocks for
Peace Foundation, an NGO where she worked on climate security projects in Northwestern
Nigeria aimed at combating food shortages, conflict, and insecurity induced by the impacts of
climate change. Moreso, Ijeoma serves as the Executive Director of Forward Falls Initiative, a
nonprofit she founded that works to democratize access to tertiary education for students in
underserved/ conflict-affected communities in Nigeria.
Ijeoma is currently a ONE Campaign Africa Champion where she joins other young pan-African
leaders to advocate and hold governments and stakeholders accountable and to increase
efforts to mitigate poverty and preventable diseases in Africa. Ijeoma holds a bachelor's degree
in Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution. Her commitment to fostering an environment where
disputes are resolved constructively is a golden thread that runs through her career. Ijeoma
aspires to lead diplomatic efforts that enhance collaboration between governing bodies at all
levels, ensuring equity across African countries and the rest of the world