Foundation

In 2007, Maria became a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and donated $100,000 to Chernobyl-related projects. Recently, in partnership with the UNDP, Maria launched a $210,000 scholarship program for students from Chernobyl-affected areas of Belarus. The Maria Sharapova Foundation Scholarship for Youth from the Chernobyl-Affected Areas of Belarus will award five-year scholarships to 12 students at the Belarusian State Academy of Arts and the Belarusian State University. "It has always been my dream to contribute to the recovery of a region where I have a personal connection," said Maria, who has family roots in Gomel, Belarus. "Enabling talented young people to pursue higher education is part of a broader effort to build a brighter future for the region". Please join Maria in her cause by donating to the Maria Sharapova Foundation today.