Aga Khan Foundation

The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) is a private, not-for-profit international development agency established in 1967 by Shah Karim Al Hussaini, Aga Khan IV, the 49th hereditary Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims. Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, it works to improve the quality of life of people living in poor and vulnerable communities, particularly in rural, mountainous, coastal and resource-constrained areas of South and Central Asia, Eastern and Western Africa, and the Middle East. AKF's work is organized around long-term development rather than short-term relief alone. Its principal areas of focus include early childhood development; education; health and nutrition; agriculture and food security; civil society; work and enterprise; and climate resilience. Across these areas, the Foundation emphasizes locally grounded solutions, community participation, gender considerations and the development of human capabilities. It seeks approaches that can be adapted and replicated across different regions while remaining responsive to local social, economic and environmental conditions. The Foundation operates as part of the wider Aga Khan Development Network, a group of institutions associated with the Aga Khan and active in development, health, education, culture, architecture, microfinance, environmental sustainability and rural development. AKF's projects are often coordinated with sister agencies in order to combine complementary expertise and increase the effect of interventions in a particular country or community. It also works with local governments, civil-society organizations, universities, international agencies, foundations and private-sector partners. The Foundation has a presence in 17 countries and implements programs in 14 of them. Its geographic activity includes Afghanistan, India, the Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan and Tajikistan in Central and South Asia; Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Tanzania and Uganda in Eastern Africa; Egypt and Syria in the Middle East; and Portugal in Europe. Fundraising and technical-support offices are also maintained in Canada, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. A major element of AKF's operating model is partnership. The Aga Khan provides regular support for administration and contributes to the Foundation's endowment, while governments, multilateral organizations, institutional donors and private partners provide substantial program funding. Listed funding partners have included the United Nations, Global Affairs Canada, USAID, the United Kingdom's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the German Federal Foreign Office and Agence Française de Développement. Members of the Ismaili community also contribute money, volunteer labor, professional expertise and other forms of support. The Aga Khan Rural Support Programme is among the Foundation's best-known initiatives. Its community-based rural development model has been implemented in Pakistan and influenced the creation or expansion of related rural-support structures, including the Rural Support Programmes Network. In 2005, the program received the Global Development Network's award for Most Innovative Development Project. Through this and other initiatives, AKF has positioned itself as a development institution focused on durable improvements in livelihoods, human development, local institutions and resilience rather than as a conventional consumer-facing brand.

The Aga Khan Foundation was created in 1967 by Shah Karim Al Hussaini, Aga Khan IV, in response to persistent poverty and underdevelopment affecting communities in parts of Asia, Africa and the Middle East. From its beginning, the Foundation was designed as a private, not-for-profit development agency rather than a commercial enterprise or a short-term relief organization. Its purpose was to support practical and durable improvements in the living conditions of disadvantaged populations, with particular attention to rural communities and areas where difficult terrain, weak infrastructure or limited resources constrained access to services and economic opportunity. The Foundation developed within the institutional environment associated with the Aga Khan and later became one of the principal agencies of the Aga Khan Development Network. The Network includes organizations with distinct mandates in areas such as health, education, culture, architecture, microfinance, environmental stewardship and rural development. AKF's role has generally centered on integrated development programs and on strengthening the capabilities of communities and local institutions. Cooperation with sister agencies allows projects to draw on several forms of expertise at once, while partnerships with governments and external organizations provide additional technical and financial resources. Rural development became one of the Foundation's most important fields of activity. Through the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme, AKF supported community organization, improved livelihoods and local development in Pakistan. The program's model emphasized the ability of rural communities to identify priorities, manage collective resources and participate in development decisions. Its approach was subsequently adapted in other settings and helped inspire the Rural Support Programmes Network in Pakistan. In 2005, the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme received the Global Development Network's award for Most Innovative Development Project. Over time, the Foundation expanded its work beyond rural livelihoods into education, health, nutrition, early childhood development, agriculture, food security, civil society, enterprise and climate resilience. These fields are connected by cross-cutting concerns including human-resource development, community participation, gender and development, and the creation of stronger local institutions. AKF has sought to test approaches that are sufficiently rooted in local conditions to be useful in individual communities but also capable of adaptation and replication elsewhere. The Foundation's geographic footprint has included countries in Central and South Asia, Eastern Africa, the Middle East and Europe. It has maintained a presence in 17 countries and implemented programs in 14, while also operating fundraising and technical-support offices in Canada, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. Its country programs have included work in Afghanistan, India, the Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, Egypt, Syria and Portugal. Funding has come from several sources. The Aga Khan provides recurring administrative support and contributes to the Foundation's endowment. Public and institutional grants have also been important, including support associated with the United Nations, Global Affairs Canada, USAID, the United Kingdom's development and foreign-affairs institutions, the German Federal Foreign Office and Agence Française de Développement. The Ismaili community contributes financial resources, volunteer service, professional skills and other forms of participation. The Canadian affiliate, Aga Khan Foundation Canada, was established in 1980 and developed institutional partnerships in Canada to support the Foundation's international programs. A later Canadian initiative described in the Foundation's reference material involved the acquisition of land in Laval, Quebec, for construction of a future Jamatkhana and community centre. The planned facility is intended to provide prayer, cultural and community spaces and reflects the Foundation's broader relationship with Ismaili community institutions, although the Foundation's principal identity remains international development. Today, AKF is characterized by a long-term, partnership-based approach to development. Its work combines community participation, applied knowledge, institutional strengthening and coordination across the Aga Khan Development Network. Rather than selling consumer products, it delivers programs, grants, technical assistance and development partnerships aimed at improving health, learning, livelihoods, civic capacity and resilience in communities facing persistent disadvantage.

• 2026

  Laval community-centre land acquisition

  [1]Aga Khan Foundationen.wikipedia.org

  Aga Khan Foundation Canada acquired land in Laval, Quebec, for a planned Jamatkhana and community centre expected to open in 2028.

• 2005

  Rural-support program receives innovation recognition

  [1]Aga Khan Foundationen.wikipedia.org

  The Aga Khan Rural Support Programme received the Global Development Network award for Most Innovative Development Project.

• 1980

  Aga Khan Foundation Canada established

  [1]Aga Khan Foundationen.wikipedia.org

  The Canadian affiliate was created to develop partnerships and support the Foundation's global development work.

• 1967

  Foundation established

  [1]Aga Khan Foundationen.wikipedia.org

  Aga Khan IV founded the Aga Khan Foundation as a private, not-for-profit international development agency.

A long-term, community-centered international development institution that combines local participation with technical expertise and coordination across the Aga Khan Development Network.

• Rural development and livelihoods

  Aga Khan Rural Support Programme

  A community-based rural development initiative associated with the Foundation's work in Pakistan. It focuses on strengthening local organization, improving livelihoods and supporting communities in identifying and managing development priorities. The approach has been adapted beyond its original setting and contributed to the development of the Rural Support Programmes Network in Pakistan. It received the Global Development Network's Most Innovative Development Project award in 2005.

• Education and human development

  Early childhood development programs

  Programs designed to improve development and learning outcomes during the early years of childhood. They form one of AKF's seven principal areas of focus and are typically connected with community participation, family support, education systems and human-resource development.

• Education

  Education programs

  Education initiatives intended to improve access, quality and relevance of learning in disadvantaged communities. The Foundation's education work is part of its broader emphasis on human capability, local institutions and long-term social development.

• Health

  Health and nutrition programs

  Programs addressing health, nutrition and related conditions that affect quality of life in underserved communities. These activities are coordinated where appropriate with other Aga Khan Development Network institutions and with local, national and international partners.

• Agriculture and livelihoods

  Agriculture and food-security programs

  Initiatives that support agricultural livelihoods, food security and the resilience of resource-constrained rural communities. They reflect AKF's focus on locally adapted development solutions in areas where environmental conditions and limited infrastructure affect household welfare.

• Governance and community development

  Civil-society programs

  Programs that strengthen local organizations, civic participation and the capacity of communities to work collectively. Civil society is one of AKF's stated areas of focus and is also a cross-cutting element of its community-based development model.

• Economic development

  Work and enterprise programs

  Initiatives focused on employment, enterprise and economic opportunity for people and communities facing structural disadvantage. These activities complement agriculture, rural development and skills-building programs and are intended to support more sustainable livelihoods.

• Climate adaptation

  Climate-resilience programs

  Programs addressing the ability of communities to anticipate, withstand and recover from climate-related stresses. Climate resilience is one of AKF's seven focus areas and is integrated with development work involving agriculture, health, livelihoods and local institutions.

• 2026

  Acquire land for a Laval Jamatkhana and community centreOther

  Background

  Aga Khan Foundation Canada sought to expand community facilities in Laval, Quebec, with a project combining prayer, cultural and community uses.

  Action taken

  The Canadian affiliate acquired land for an approximately 42,000-square-foot facility planned for opening in 2028.

  Aftermath

  The project received support from Laval's mayor and Canada's minister of national revenue; the facility was described as being funded through philanthropic donations.

  Reported project value. Approximately CAD 21.5 million (2026 project announcement)

  Source

• 1967

  Adopt a long-term, community-centered development modelStrategy

  Background

  The Foundation was created to address persistent poverty, hunger, illiteracy and ill health in disadvantaged regions, particularly among rural and resource-constrained communities.

  Action taken

  It established a private, not-for-profit development model centered on locally grounded programs, community participation and solutions that could be adapted across regions.

  Aftermath

  This approach became the basis for AKF's later work in rural development, education, health, livelihoods, civil society and climate resilience.

  Source

1. 1Aga Khan Foundationen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Aga Khan Foundation official websiteakf.org