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Focus Area: education

Over 775 million adults – one in five – in the world are illiterate. 64% are women.

A leading development priority for Aga Khan Foundation is the promotion of quality education for all. From early childhood development to higher education, AKF is ensuring that marginalized groups – girls, the economically disadvantaged, physically challenged and geographically remote – are able to access quality education, stay in school longer and attain higher academic achievements.

Aga Khan Foundation’s educational activities span across a broad range of initiatives,  reaching beyond early childhood, primary and youth education. In fact, AKF is creating lasting change in Asia and Africa by incorporating educational programs in nearly all of its projects. Health related initiatives include training nurses and educating communities about disease prevention and healthy behaviors. Rural development programs teach farmers effective techniques to help them move beyond subsistence. All these efforts equip people with life-long skills to overcome poverty and expand opportunities. 

Early Childhood Development (ECD). AKF has been a pioneer in promoting ECD for decades. With its child-centered approach and culturally appropriate curricula, AKF’s model East Africa preschool program has grown to over 200 preschools, training 6,000 teachers and 3,000 school management committee members and reaching over 60,000 children.

Training Nurses. Nurses form the front line of rural healthcare, often serving as the first and only point of contact for health services in developing countries. AKDN has established training programs in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Syria and throughout East Africa to improve skills and qualifications as well as expand the pool of qualified nurses.

School Improvement & Teacher Training. AKDN operates more than 300 schools and programs that provide quality pre-school, primary, and secondary education services to students in Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Kenya, the Kyrgyz Republic, Uganda, Tanzania, and Tajikistan. Professional Development Centers provide world-class training to boost a growing cadre of competent, inspiring teachers.

Building Skills and Knowledge among Rural Populations. In most areas where the Foundation works, agricultural production is the primary economic activity for a majority of the people. The Foundation trains farmers in improved agricultural techniques to expand yields and productivity, which in turn, improve food security and incomes.

Excellence in Education: Academies and Universities. Aga Khan-sponsored academies and universities such as the Aga Khan Academies, the University of Central Asia, and the Aga Khan University create new educational models, with a vision to promote competent indigenous young leaders as a key to progress in the developing world.

Community Outreach in the US. Across America, AKF USA volunteers reach out through grassroots initiatives that educate communities about the positive role they can play in solving global poverty. AKF USA’s educational initiatives seek to inform, inspire and unite Americans as “global citizens” with communities in Africa and Asia to build bridges of hope and to promote peace, pluralism, prosperity and security globally.

More on education at the AKDN website

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