How We Work/Our Agencies/Aga Khan Foundation/Civil Society - AKF

Farmer Field Schools - Village Organisation in Mozambique.

AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer

Since 2008, the Aga Khan Foundation has been implementing an integrated area development programme in Mopti, …

AKDN / Lucas Cuervo Moura

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Civil Society


In 2022, we supported over 26,000 civil society organisations


Resilient, pluralistic civil societies play a catalytic role in enhancing and maintaining quality of life for all people, regardless of gender, ethnicity, beliefs, age, and background. Today, civil society is represented by an array of institutions, movements, and platforms devoted to:


  • education, culture, science and research;
  • gender equality and the rights of vulnerable and marginalised groups;
  • commercial, labour, ethnic and religious concerns;
  • health, safety and environmental matters;
  • humanitarian service;
  • arts and the media; and
  • professional societies in law, accounting, banking, engineering and medicine.

The Aga Khan Foundation works in partnership with civil society actors around the world to develop resilient, pluralistic and values-based civil societies which demonstrate greater competency, legitimacy, accountability and sustainability. We strengthen community organisations, and encourage communities to mobilise and work inclusively. Our programmes currently take place in Afghanistan, Egypt, India, Kenya, Kyrgyz Republic, Madagascar, Mozambique, Pakistan, Portugal, Syria, Tanzania, Tajikistan and Uganda.


The Mahalla Committee in the Tughul village has been supported by AKF through the ESCoMIAD programme with funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer

Engaged Individuals

In every community, we find passionate people, working to bring others together in support of improved quality of life for all. We support the emergence and development of civil society leadership particularly among women, youth, and people who have been marginalised.


We integrate the concepts and values of civil society into school curricula and student clubs, for example, to encourage future generations of leaders to think and act in pluralistic and community-minded ways. Together with the Aga Khan University and the University of Central Asia, we provide a range of professional development opportunities for current and emerging civil society leaders.


Village Development Organisations (VDOs), formed with assistance from AKF, mobilise community resources, identify priorities and resolve problems.

AKDN / Lucas Cuervo Moura

Resilient Institutions

We strengthen and collaborates with a diverse array of civil society organisations, and government agencies operating from the local to the national level. Our comprehensive approach to organisational strengthening includes participatory assessment, face-to-face and online training, long-term mentorship, peer-to-peer exchange, feedback mechanisms, human centred design and collaborative implementation.


We encourage philanthropic giving at the community and national levels through grassroots campaigns, as well as through digital giving platforms. Giving may be financial, but it can also be the form of in-kind donations or volunteer time. In parallel, we support institutions which offer certification programmes which help increase trust between civil society organisations and key stakeholders, including government and donors.


In Portugal, K’Cidade, AKF’s urban community support programme, brings together people from different backgrounds and ages by involving them in community improvement and development activities. Shakib, a Nepalese immigrant, operates a small grocery shop in Vale de Alcantara, a neighbourhood where many seniors live (photo). They benefit from his services and teach him Portuguese.

AKDN / Lucas Cuervo Moura

Pluralistic Societies

We convene people and institutions across diverse sectors, cultures, faiths, backgrounds and experiences to foster an enabling environment and collaborate in response to development challenges. In today's fragmented world, AKF promotes positive responses to diversity through encouraging participatory and inclusive local governance, promoting peacebuilding, celebrating culture and strengthening diverse voices in the media.


We strengthen institutions which facilitate an environment supportive of gender equality. We help community members take steps to understand and address the underlying beliefs and practices that create and reinforce gender inequalities, empower the disadvantaged, and develop the confidence and skills to have agency over their lives.