About the Aga Khan Development Network

The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) was founded by His Highness the Aga Khan. The Aga Khan is Chairman of the Board of AKDN, which is committed to breaking the cycle of poverty and advancing positive change that lasts for generations to come.

AKDN builds quality institutions – clinics, banks and universities – that anchor communities and provide them opportunities to unlock their potential. AKDN designs and implements innovative programmes that improve quality of life and can be replicated elsewhere in the world. Our approach touches a wide range of investments critical to human development, from early childhood education to health and infrastructure to green space preservation.

We believe that communities and societies are stronger when they are built on the vision and collaboration of people from all different backgrounds. Our work is driven by the belief in our shared humanity and the firm conviction that we all have purpose.

AKDN has agreements and protocols with the numerous countries and organisations including: Afghanistan, the Asian Development Bank, Bangladesh, Canada, Egypt, the European Commission, France, Germany, India, Ivory Coast, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyz Republic, Mali, Mozambique, Norway, Pakistan, Portugal, Russia, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Uganda, United Kingdom, the United Nations (United Nations Development Programme and World Health Organisation) and the World Bank.

More information about AKDN can be found here.

Our values

The work of the Aga Khan Foundation and the Aga Khan Development Network is grounded in a set of universal ethics. All AKDN agencies have the goal of creating sustainable livelihoods and building institutions that improve the quality of life for communities and individuals. Our core values are:

  • Respect for human dignity
  • Compassion and solidarity with the less fortunate
  • Self-reliance
  • Pluralism: tolerance, openness, and understanding toward other peoples’ cultures, values and faiths
  • The right to participate and determine local priorities Service to humanity through volunteerism