Guided by the values of F.W. Raiffeisen – self-responsibility, self-help, self-governance –, Herbert Stepic, former CEO of Raiffeisen Bank International AG founded this charity in 2006 to support disenfranchised children, adolescents and women in Central and Eastern Europe. The Charity´s focus is on promoting and implementing educational projects for the socially and economically most vulnerable. Based in Vienna but at home in every country RBI is represented in CEE, the foundation is led by Chairman Herbert Stepic. The Charity is who empowers every employee to volunteer to make a difference. Underprivileged children with a poor background, among them many orphans, receive amongst others access to education and educational supplies which their families cannot afford. Our operating volunteers provide their know-how, hands-on mentality, and hearts. They are experts in matters of law, finance, marketing, project management etc. and support our project partners on site to create and implement sustainable projects all across CEE, so we can supply highly professional help where it is most needed. The Charity is the strongest pillar of the Raiffeisen Bank International Corporate Volunteering Program and enjoys the boards active and energetic support! This is the reason our organisation operates without administration costs, so all donations go directly to our proteges to enable them to a self-determined. Our values bring us closer to realizing our vision: A world where every child and mother can live a self-determined life with dignity. They are: Education: We see education as one of the most valuable goods and the key for leaving poverty behind and enjoying a self-determined life. Just as people need food and a roof over their heads, they need knowledge to take care of themselves. Self-help: Just as Friedrich Wilhelm Raiffeisen, we help people to help themselves and thus achieve a lasting effect.