Who are we?

Our foundation was created and is being run by successful individuals who are committed to giving back something to the world.
As well as their own professional careers, they are all connected in some way to the African continent, which is a key factor in their involvement in the Foundation's work.
The Foundation is supported by a team of enthusiastic volunteers from many different backgrounds, without whom we would not be who we are.

Our principles

Sustainability – we provide not only ‘hardware’, but also ‘software’!
Accountability – our projects are and should be traceable!
Our programmes avoid donation- dependency and foster autonomous growth

Sponsor a child
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Founders

Dr. Tarrósy István

Lángh Júlia

Bogányi Tibor

Board of Trustees

Andrea Morris

Chairperson of the Board of Trustees

Andrea Morris, whose idea the Foundation was built on, lived in various African countries with her family between 2009 and 2013. The most memorable of her African experiences was the time she spent teaching in a school in the Sanfil slum in Bamako. There weren't any state- provided schools in this area, and Andrea met many children who were unable to attend school due to their parents' financial hardship. In 2012, she came up with the idea of the Bamako Child Support Program, which has since helped more than 300 children gain access to basic education. Andrea works actively in the Foundation and she is the driving "motor" of the activities.

Other members of the Board of Trustees

Dr. Zarándy Ákos

Zalka Péter

Our volunteers

Rea Milla

Ambassador

I arrived in Hungary as a Somali refugee at the age of 15. As the eldest of seven children of my loving mother, I fled from a forced marriage, travelling alone for a year across many countries, leaving my family behind. Hungary welcomed me, and I could start a new life. Since I’m here, I got to know Hungarian and European culture, I have successfully graduated from high school, and am still learning one of the most difficult languages in the world! A documentary film about my integration, this beautiful but difficult journey, and my life in Hungary has also made, titled Easy Lessons (Könnyű Leckék).
Besides my civilian work, I also work as a photo model, whilst pursuing my real passion which is helping others. I try to use my visibility to promote volunteer work – I participate in campaigns, interviews, talk about my personal experiences and try to use my own example to empower others to follow their own path. I am honored to have been asked by the Close to Africa Foundation to represent a good cause that is of such great importance to me. Coming from Africa, I have personally experienced not having access to one of the most basic requirements for a successful life – education. As my own life experience shows, there is no greater opportunity in a person's life than the chance to learn. That's why I want to give something back to the world from all the support I have received.

Aliz Németh

Child Support Coordinator in Rwanda

I joined the foundation because I have always loved Africa from the bottom of my heart, and I also like to help people in need, especially children. I believe that our child support program will add a lot to equal educational opportunities in the long term. That is why it is important for me to develop the knowledge/talent in children. I participate in the work of the foundation by editing the newsletter and coordinating the Rwandan child support.

Gréta Virág

volunteer
"Africa is relentlessly on my mind, so I joined Close to Africa’s team of volunteers in 2021. Africa is my passion, and for me, it represents the true meaning diversity!" Gréti is not only involved in event planning and implementation, but also actively participates in presentations and the handling of our social media platforms. She considers direct action against FGM essential to protect women's rights and humanity as a whole. As part of our FGM Zero Tolerance project, she gave several professional presentations as well.
I have learned a lot about Mali and Rwanda, but even more about human relationships and life in general. To me, it showed the importance of values such as mutual openness, trust, and organic development, and it confirmed that civic engagement is a significant skill indeed. Beyond humanitarian cooperation, I’m interested in the historical, (geo)political and geographical landscape of Africa. I would like to strengthen my ties with Africa in order to gain a deeper connection with the continent, and to contribute to raising awareness while breaking down common misconceptions and prejudices." I have learned a lot about Mali and Rwanda, but even more about human relations and not too much about life. It has reinforced in me the social values of mutual openness, trust, organic development and has shown me that civic engagement is a significant skill. In addition to humanitarian cooperation, I am interested in the historical, (geo)political and geographical picture of Africa. I would like to orientate myself towards Africa, so that in the future I can have a deeper contact with the continent and contribute to its understanding, while breaking down prejudices

Edit Horváth

volunteer
I got involved with the Foundation about 4 years ago. My son's class teacher worked with the foundation. He posted from Bamako, describing how to support a student to go to school. I supported Issa Nantoume for 3 years. After that I started volunteering. I do stand-up, I choose music and I share it on Facebook every week with our community. I also try to participate in writing applications. 

Pál Ribarics

mentor, volunteer

 Pál believes that the key to our future is educated young people, and for that reason he is engaged in talent management. He is in daily contact with his mentee, who was successfully admitted to the University of Kigali in 2023.
Pali also attended one of our recent missions to Rwanda, on which he shared his experience with us:
” "Africa is the continent of children. Tiny feet run past you constantly with barely existing footwear, the eyes of curious children follow the „umuzungu”, the white tourist. In Rwanda, these children have only one dream: to learn. Therefore, they are willing to sacrifice everything for it. Yesterday we visited a family where children run more than two hours one way to get to school on time. Education in schools is technically free, but due to additional costs such as school supplies, uniforms, and school meals, it is still out of reach for many. And the missing amount of money per person is extremely small, about the same as visiting a caffee (a latte and two cookies) in Budapest.
The Foundation through which I am visiting Rwanda as a mentor is now starting to involve more children in its schooling program. It is worth considering supporting these children, now that I have seen some of the country, I could not possibly whole-heartedly recommend anything better. The country, by the way, is extremely beautiful: not too far from the equator, but high enough to make it a beautifully green, botanical garden. And the sparkling eyes of local children quite simply energize my fellow travelers right in front of my eyes."

 

Katalin Sárközi

credit control, volunteer

"I have been volunteering since April 2022 and took over credit control in May the same year. As part of my responsibilities, I track the donations received for our students. Over time, this has been expanded by me writing emails to sponsors about late payments, indicating how they are doing with payments. All in all, I try to coordinate the incoming payments..."
You can meet Kati at our events, as she is also one of our enthusiastic representative apart from her outstanding work behind the scenes. Our supporters and private donors of the School of Winners (in Bamako, Mali) are regularly notified of the achievements of the children, send out certificates and photos, which Katalin coordinates as well.

Dorina Lili Bencsics

assistant, volunteer coordinator
In 2021, I had the opportunity to travel to Benin through a design project; a country in Western Africa, where we held educational sessions in schools for a month in spirit of sustainability as part of a non-formal education project. Africa became a true love of mine. 🤎 I had some fantastic experiences and met some very good friends there. After this month-long mission upon returning home, I found the Close to Africa Foundation and began working for them as a volunteer.
Currently, as a part-time colleague, I am responsible for the coordination of volunteers and volunteering activities, while I also participate in organizing and conducting events, developing content for our social media platforms, and designing other creative representative materials.
I love this open-minded, accepting, and courageous environment at the Foundation and among those interested in African culture in Hungary!

Emese Morris

I am a scholarship student at West Nottingham Academy High School in the US. My Nigerian-born friend Favor Enoghama and I launched Girls Connection Programme in 2021 to help girls in Bamako face the hurdles of their high school years. The project was inspired by my childhood experiences in Mali and by my interest in women's rights. In 2022, in addition to the high school club, we launched Girls' Cause, a programme working through a local organisation against FGM (female genital mutilation).

Dolo Bouréma

local representative

I am Bouréma Dolo, a Dogon from Bamako. I was born in a small village far from the city, on the Dogon plateau. After primary school, I finished high school and university in Bamako. I had the great help of a French couple who were tourists in Dogon country, and as usual, I followed them around our village with interest as a child. They not only helped me with my studies, but I became something like their adopted son. I completed my degree in Geography and Development from the University of Bamako, an experience that led me to believe that change can only be made through education. That is why I feel it is important to be involved in this foundation.

Apollinaire Ndahimana

local representative

I am Ndahimana Apollinaire, I am Rwandan by Nationality. After primary school, I finished secondary school and University in Education. I am also a student of University of Kigali where I will leave with a Master’s degree in Education. I am involved in improving Education, as a leader of Secondary School, I try to help vulnerable children in order to have access on education for all. Close to Africa Foundation is interested to support children from poor families that is why I feel it is important to be involved in this foundation.

Anatole Nsengimana

local representative

My name is Anatole Nsengimana. I am committed follower to Jesus Christ. I am Rwandan and High school Teacher of History and Geography. I have bachelor degree in education. I was born in rural area which is far from the City with ambition of playing a big role in changing rural areas people’s lives. With Good support system of the Government of Rwanda,I got an opportunity of studying primary, Secondary and University. When I was at University sometimes I used to get temporary work of translation and interpretation which helped me to shape my mind and assisting me to survice well in time of studying four years of University. I am well experienced that being educated is essential thing in life which can help anyone to change life better and attains his/her goals. In 2019, after my university studies, I was lucky enough to get a job of being a High school teacher since January 2021. My heart was shocked to see some children in rural areas who are dropping out of the schools not because of their wishes but Lacking of school equipments and their families incapabilities for provision. After seeing this I took an initiative of helping some of them to go back to school by giving them school materials. Lucky enough I met with people from Close To Africa Foundation and I was very happy to hear their goals and targets of helping vulnerable children to improve their lives and go back to school by giving them school materials and pay school fees for them in order to save their future and society as well. This brought great pleasure in my heart and immediately take decision of being Volunteer of Foundation (CLOSE TO AFRICA FOUNDATION).

Désire Ndikumana

local representative

He comes from a very poor mountain village in the south of Rwanda, where he went to school in the hills. After training in hotel management and various hospitality, he moved to Kigali to look for work to support his family. Shortly after he started working, he saw a child with broken shoes, which touched him so much that since then he felt the need to help poor children as well. Therefore, a foundation was created with his friends for this purpose. Now, with the help of around 200 supporters, they collect donations, which consist of the following items: shoes, notebooks, pencils, school uniforms, body lotions and soaps. Désire currently works in a hostel in Kigali. We are very proud that Désire has been added to our group of volunteers, and we are glad to have met him in personally. We trust in long-term successful cooperation with him.

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