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Focus Area: Environment

The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) strives to build and work in harmony with nature to uplift communities in need.

Poor and marginalized communities are on the front lines of climate change, at risk from melting glaciers in Tajikistan, salt water intrusion in Bangladesh, and prolonged drought in Kenya where food security and famine hang in the balance. Aga Khan Development Network’s solutions to environmental problems link natural resource management and alternative energy with community development. The poorest communities among us are the most directly affected by the environment – from forests and food to earthquakes and hurricanes. The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) strives to build and work in harmony with nature to uplift communities in need and has developed programs that focus on conservation of natural resources and disaster relief and preparedness training.

Look at the evolution of Al-Azhar Park in Cairo, Egypt. The capital city was drowning in a mass of high-rises and over population with only one square foot of green space for each of its 17 million citizens. The recommended amount is 65 feet per person. After 20 years of planning and construction, AKDN transformed a 500-year-old waste dump in the heart of the historic district into a 74-acre park. The project created jobs for the poor residents of the adjacent neighborhood Darb al-Ahmar, cleaner soil and air, and now provides a place for families and friends to exercise and spend time together. Watch the PBS video “A Garden in Cairo” narrated by Brad Pitt or listen to a podcast about the project.

This year’s PartnershipsInAction theme is centered around the environment, illustrating to the American public the benefits of supporting clean energy solutions. Responsible stewardship of our planet extends to all people from Asia to Africa to America, and change begins with you.

More about AKF and the Environment | More about the AKDN and the Environment

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