AKDN’s community-based rural AKDN development programmes such as this one in Tajikistan link elements such as rural savings and credit, natural resource management, infrastructure, increased agricultural productivity, human skills development, health, education, sanitation and clean water systems. THE IMAMAT A G A K H an D E V E L O PM en T N E TW O R K Economic Social Culture Development Development Overview of the Aga Khan Development Network Aga Khan Fund for Aga Khan Agency Aga Khan Aga Khan University of Aga Khan Trust Economic Development for Microfinance Foundation University Central Asia for Culture Aga Khan Education Services The Aga Khan Development Network cases, date back to the early twentieth decisions are based more on prospects Tourism Promotion Industrial Promotion Aga Khan Award Aga Khan Historic (AKDN) is a group of private, century. AKDN agencies conduct their for improving the lives of people in the Services Services for Architecture Cities Programme Aga Khan Health Services international, non-denominational programmes without regard to the faith, developing world than on bottom-line agencies working to improve living origin or gender of the people they serve. profitability. AKFED takes bold but Financial Services Media Services conditions and opportunities for people calculated steps to invest in environments Aga Khan Planning and Education and in some of the poorest parts of the that are fragile and complex. It has Aviation Services Building Services Culture Programme Economic Development developing world. assisted in the rehabilitation of The Aga Khan Fund for Economic economies after civil conflict or internal The Network’s organisations have Development (AKFED) works to strengthen turmoil in environments as varied as individual mandates that range from the role of the private sector in developing Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Mozambique, the fields of health and education to countries by promoting entrepreneurial Tajikistan and Uganda. architecture, rural development and the activity and supporting private sector For further information promotion of private-sector enterprise. initiatives. AKFED also plays a catalytic Social Development Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) Together they collaborate in working role in mobilising investment in developing 1-3 Avenue de la Paix towards a common goal – to build or transitional economies. It makes The Aga Khan Agency for Microfinance 1202 Geneva Switzerland institutions and programmes that can investments in industrial production, (AKAM) seeks to alleviate economic Tel: +41 22 909 7200 respond to the challenges of social, infrastructure, tourism development, and social exclusion, diminish the Fax: +41 22 909 7291 economic and cultural change on an financial services, aviation and media. It vulnerability of poor populations, reduce E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.akdn.org ongoing basis. promotes the creation of the enabling legal poverty and help people become self- and fiscal structures that ensure the viability reliant. AKAM operates in both urban The Network brings together a of private sector initiatives. and rural settings and offers a range number of agencies, institutions and of microfinance services, including programmes that have been built up Because of its institutional background micro-insurance, savings services, over the past 40 years and, in some and ethical framework, investment housing credits and education loans. © AKDN, November 2006. Information contained in this brief can be reproduced with acknowledgement to AKDN. Photo credits: AKDN / Aziz Islamshah, Garry Otte, Jean-Luc Ray AGA KHAN DEVELOPMENT NETWORK www.akdn.org degree within the School of Development socioeconomic components to bear AKDN’s education activities and a Bachelor of Arts programme on development issues in urban and include more than 300 schools based on the liberal arts and sciences. rural settings. ranging from pre-primary through The School of Professional and • The Education and Culture to university post-graduate Continuing Education, which is already Programme, which consists of four courses. Girls, the very poor and offering classes, is Central Asia’s first major units: the Aga Khan Program geographically remote populations provider of formal, university-based, for Islamic Architecture at Harvard receive special attention. non-degree educational programmes, University and the Massachusetts offering vocational, professional Institute of Technology (MIT); development and personal improvement ArchNet.org, a virtual archive of opportunities to youth and adults. materials on architecture, urban design and urban development; the Music Initiative in Central Asia, which “Development is sustainable only if Culture works to ensure the preservation of the beneficiaries become, in a gradual Loans are accompanied by training in exchanges. Admission is merit-based The Network’s initiatives in culture, Central Asia’s musical heritage and manner, the masters of the process. basic business concepts so borrowers and needs-blind. architecture, architectural education, its transmission to a new generation can become financially self-reliant This means that initiatives cannot be urban revitalisation and traditional music of artists and audiences; and the entrepreneurs. The Aga Khan Health Services (AKHS), contemplated exclusively in terms of The Aga Khan Development Network are the responsibility of the Aga Khan Museum Projects, which develops with 325 health centres, dispensaries, economics, but rather as an integrated has agreements or protocols with the Trust for Culture (AKTC). museum and exhibition projects, The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) seeks hospitals, diagnostic centres and including two museums in Cairo and programme that encompasses social following countries and organisations: sustainable solutions to the long-term community health outlets, is one of The Trust focuses on culture as a means Toronto. and cultural dimensions as well. Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Canada, problems of poverty, hunger, illiteracy the largest and most comprehensive of enhancing the physical, social and Education and skills training, health and the European Commission, France, and ill health throughout the world, private, non-profit health networks in the economic revitalisation of communities AKDN agencies make a long-term with special emphasis on the needs developing world. public services, conservation of cultural Germany, India, Ivory Coast, in the Islamic world. Its programmes commitment to the areas in which they of rural communities in mountainous, heritage, infrastructure development, Kazakhstan, Kenya, the Kyrgyz Republic, include: work. They are guided by the philosophy coastal and other resource-poor areas. The Aga Khan Planning and Building urban planning and rehabilitation, Mali, Mozambique, Norway, Pakistan, that a humane, sustainable environment AKF focuses on rural development, Services (AKPBS) works to improve rural development, water and energy Portugal, Russia, Syria, Tajikistan, • The Aga Khan Award for Architecture, must reflect the choices, made by health, education, environment, and the built environment through design established in 1977, which is the people themselves, of how to live and management, environmental control, and Tanzania, Uganda, the United Kingdom the strengthening of civil society. Its and construction, village planning, world’s largest prize for architecture. improve prospects in harmony with the even policy and legislative development, and the United Nations. Individual programmes include the Aga Khan Rural natural hazard mitigation, environmental Presented every three years, it not environment. Sustainability is, therefore, are among the various aspects that must Support Programmes, the Mountain sanitation and improved water supply agencies also work closely with local, only rewards individual architects for a central consideration from the outset. Societies Development Support systems. It achieves these aims by be taken into account.” state and national governments in each exemplary contemporary work but Programmes and the Coastal Rural providing material, technical assistance country in which they are active. also singles out projects that propose While each agency pursues its own Support Programmes. and construction management services innovative and replicable solutions to specific mandate, they all work together – His Highness the Aga Khan, speaking at for rural and urban areas. the Prince Claus Fund’s Conference on Cul- problems of social development. within the overarching framework of the ture and Development, Amsterdam, AKDN and its constituent agencies The Aga Khan Education Services Aga Khan Development Network so that 7 September 2002. actively seek to co-operate with like- (AKES) operates more than 300 schools Two universities are part of the • The Aga Khan Historic Cities their different pursuits can interact and minded institutions in the design, and advanced educational programmes Network. Aga Khan University (AKU), Programme, which was set up in reinforce one another. Their common at the pre-school, primary, secondary Pakistan’s first private, autonomous implementation and funding of innovative 1992 to implement conservation goal is to help poor communities and higher secondary levels in Pakistan, university, headquartered in Karachi, is Picture above: projects. With the help of programme and urban revitalisation projects achieve a level of self-reliance whereby The Aga Khan (centre) reviewing construction India, Bangladesh, Kenya, the