The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) is a global development organization that focuses on addressing the root causes of poverty through sustainable, locally-driven initiatives. Established over 50 years ago, the AKF has been instrumental in creating strong community institutions that support various initiatives aimed at improving the lives of millions of people. The foundation operates in 18 countries across Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, and North America, reaching over six million people through the support of 26,000 civil society organizations.

The AKF's work spans several critical areas:

• Agriculture and Food Security: The foundation works with communities to ensure food security, good nutrition, and resilient livelihoods from agriculture and livestock. It also focuses on regenerative natural resources management.
• Civil Society: AKF partners with civil society organizations to enhance their competency, legitimacy, accountability, and sustainability, thereby fostering resilient, pluralistic, and values-based civil societies.
• Climate Resilience: The foundation assists communities in increasing their resilience to climate change by raising awareness, establishing protective and climate-responsive infrastructure, enriching the natural environment, generating clean energy, and catalyzing eco-friendly businesses.
• Early Childhood Development: AKF aims to provide children with the best start in life by influencing their environments and working with families, policymakers, teachers, health workers, and others to offer comprehensive support.
• Education: The foundation equips children and youth to interact effectively with the world and contribute to society, addressing gender gaps, creating tools, strengthening teachers’ knowledge, and enhancing educational systems.
• Health and Nutrition: AKF's work enables people to optimize their health and wellbeing, addressing the drivers of poor health, improving access to integrated health services, and supporting nutrition and sanitation initiatives.
• Work and Enterprise: The foundation's programs focus on entrepreneurship and employment, skills development for men and women, with a focus on youth, investing in the future of work, and access to finance.

The AKF's approach is rooted in a generational perspective, building trust and working in the most fragile contexts to bring about transformative and long-lasting improvements to quality of life. It combines local knowledge with global best practices, ensuring that its efforts are both effective and sustainable