Partnership Walk




		Education Health Rural Development Strengthening Civil Society Environment AKF				The Aga Khan Foundation With a small staff, a host of co-operating agencies and thousands of volunteers, Aga Khan Foundation reaches out to vulnerable populations in four continents, irrespective of their race, religion, political affiliation or gender. In 2003, with a budget of US $145 million, it funded 140 projects in 16 countries. The Foundation is a private, international, non- profit, non-denominational development agency. It was established by His Highness the Aga Khan in Switzerland in 1967. It seeks sustainable solutions to long-term problems of poverty, with special emphasis on the needs of rural communities in mountainous, coastal and other resource poor areas. Its main areas of focus are health, education, rural development and strengthening civil society. The Foundation focuses on a set of specific development problems by forming intellectual and financial partnerships with organizations sharing its objectives. Most Foundation grants are made to grassroots organizations that test innovative approaches in the field. Goals In every undertaking, the goals are essentially the same: • Make it possible for poor people to act in ways that will lead to long-term improvements in their income and health, in the environment and in the education of their children; • Provide communities with a greater range of choices and the understanding necessary to take informed action; • Enable beneficiaries to gain the confidence and competence to participate in the design, implementation and continuing operation of activities that affect the quality of their lives; • Put institutional, management and financial structures in place to ensure that program activities are sustainable without Foundation assistance within a reasonable time frame. Geographical Focus The Foundation's geographic spread currently encompasses activities in Bangladesh, Canada, India, Kenya, Mozambique, Pakistan, Portugal, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Uganda, the United Kingdom and the United States. In addition, AKF has established programs in Afghanistan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Syria. Within these countries, the Foundation often chooses certain regions for particular focus. Criteria include special needs in poor environments as well as the presence of capable implementing organizations. It normally intervenes where it has a strong volunteer base to ensure knowledgeable and culturally sensitive management of its local affairs. Integrated, Solutions-Oriented Approach Key characteristics of the Foundation's programmatic approach are to: • Establish long-term relationships with donor agencies and peer organizations for mobilizing funds and human resources; • Partner with local counterpart organizations to implement projects; • Promote integrated development of a given area, for example, the Northern Areas of Pakistan, the Pamir region of Tajikistan and the coast of Eastern Africa; • Ensure long-term engagement � for example, the programs in Northern Pakistan have been supported for over 20 years; • Develop solutions-oriented models that can be adapted in a variety of contexts. Active Involvement in Projects Although formally a funding agency, AKF involves itself actively in the planning and execution of its projects. Grants are normally made to civil society organizations that share the Foundation's goals. In some cases, where there is no appropriate partner, the Foundation may help to create a new civil society organization or may manage projects directly. It has built a solid reputation for accountable management of grants within a clearly defined thematic strategy and geographic focus. Institutional Support Through endowments and capital investments, the Foundation helps to ensure the viability of institutions that contribute to the well being of the people they serve. For example, it has helped build an endowment for Pakistan 's first private university, the Aga Khan University (AKU) in Karachi . It has also aided community-based pre-schools in Africa build endowments and provides fund-raising advice and contacts to a host of current and former recipients of its grants. AKF also owns a large number of properties for social and cultural activities, including several hospitals and hundreds of schools and health centers in the developing world. A portion of the Foundation's income is used to maintain and improve these properties. The hospitals and schools are managed by other agencies of the Aga Khan Development Network, such as the Aga Khan Health Services and Aga Khan Education Services. Sources of Funding The Foundation is the principal grant-making agency for social development within the Ismaili Imamat. His Highness the Aga Khan provides the Foundation with regular funding for administration and program initiatives as well as contributions to its endowment. The Ismaili community contributes invaluable volunteer time, professional services and substantial financial resources. Other funding sources include more than 60 national and international development agencies and many thousands of individual and corporate donors. A Bridge Between Two Worlds With affiliates that are important local institutions in countries from Canada and Portugal to Tajikistan and the United States, Aga Khan Foundation has genuine roots in both the developed and developing world. Experience and skills flow in both directions. These national organizations share common objectives and approaches. They bring local knowledge, energies and resources to bear on local problems. The developed country units serve to inform the public about development progress and problems. They also channel interest, skills and resources from the public and development agencies to worthwhile activities in the developing world. To find out more about the Aga Khan Foundation or about Aga Khan Development Network, the larger umbrella organization of which AKF is a part, go to www.akdn.org An initiative of Aga Khan Foundation U.S.A and its volunteers in communities across America Privacy Policy