About

Founder

My name is Sándor Csányi. Most of you know me as the chairman and CEO of OTP Bank – a successful businessman, and one of the most successful people in the country. However, few people know that I grew up in humble conditions in the countryside. That is why I am confident that, in addition to financial prosperity and success, we must always keep in mind that many people live in almost unbearably difficult circumstances in our country. Poverty does not make a difference. It does not spare even the best.

I founded the Csányi Foundation with 1 billion forints in private equity, and I hope this will set an example to other successful businessmen as well. My aim is for talented but disadvantaged children to not miss out on the opportunities Hungary has to offer otherwise we lose the nation’s greatest treasure: human knowledge and talent.

Our Goal

The Csányi Foundation has many activities, but its main objective, with the Guidance Programme, is talent management. Our goal is to select talented but disadvantaged children who can be helped over the years to overcome their difficulties and develop their talents, with the involvement of prominent professionals and local experts (teachers, family helpers, educational counsellors and psychologists). Therefore, the board of directors determines the number of children involved in the start-up talent groups, and the area affected by the selection each year.

Community houses

The Foundation’s activities are organised around the Community Houses (Jászberény, Szeged, Pécs, Mohács, Kaposvár, Nagybajom, Szentes), where there is a proper venue for skill development lessons, tutor-parents’ meetings, for the Family and Open Days or Parents Academy programme series as well as for an active community life. Our modern and well-equipped Community houses create an inspiring, friendly and safe environment for children, who come here after school for afternoon or weekend group and individual lessons or for team building activities. The Community Houses and the mentors establish a mutually supportive network within the programme. Besides these, we also find it important for the Foundation to become an acknowledged element of the towns’ life.

Organization

The Csányi Foundation has been active since 2005. We believe with certainty that for children to become a successful adult, certain conditions must be in place, under which knowledge and talent are not out of reach for disadvantaged families or regions. One of the most important tools for overcoming disadvantage is a secure linkage network – over the last 16 years of the Foundation, our children have gained shared experiences, learned respect and acceptance, and made life-long friendships, all of which they can rely on as adults.