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Accelerate Prosperity, a global initiative in Central and South Asia, promotes entrepreneurship with an …

AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer

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When young people in northern Kenya struggle to find work and become vulnerable to drug addiction, crime and …

AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer

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In Daghoni, Khaplu, Pakistan, Zarina is one of the six youth entrepreneurs that started Al-Hajra Wool …

AKDN / Danial Shah

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A cashgora-spinning workshop in Sezhda, Tajikistan, was set up by a women's group supported by the Aga Khan Foundation. AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer
A cashgora-spinning workshop in Sezhda, Tajikistan, was set up by a women's group supported by the Aga Khan Foundation.

AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer

Developing skills


Human capital development in rural geographies is vital to the future of work. Our key priorities include digital literacy and advanced digital skills, training in high-demand vocations and growth professions, and critical 21st-century competencies. We also promote entrepreneurship as a career pathway, particularly for women and youth from disadvantaged communities.


Investing in the future


We invest in infrastructure and connectivity solutions for digitally-enabled and alternative work arrangements. These foster new freelancing and business process outsourcing opportunities for locally available and globally connected work. Solutions include technology, broadband, IT education and skills, government policies and incentives.


Enterprise and Entrepreneurship


Accelerate Prosperity


A joint venture with the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development's Industrial Promotion Services division, Accelerate Prosperity promotes start-ups through innovative lean business model iteration, market traction and revenue generation. Supported companies create new jobs and contribute to inclusive economic development across promising sectors. For small and growing businesses, services include structured training, networking, tailored technical assistance, investment-readiness support through mentorship, and access to early-stage financing. Accelerate Prosperity’s virtual acceleration programme enhances remote engagement of entrepreneurs through webinars, public resources, online training, virtual pitch sessions and e-mentorship. Find out more


In Madagascar, school-age girls from rural families meet regularly to manage a community-based savings group that they formed with the support of the Aga Khan Foundation. AKDN / Lucas Cuervo Moura

In Madagascar, school-age girls from rural families meet regularly to manage a community-based savings group that they formed with the support of the Aga Khan Foundation.

AKDN / Lucas Cuervo Moura

Creating connections


We promote business membership organisations, farming producer organisations, other enterprise groups and business intermediaries that can enhance business linkages, productivity, and value addition in promising local economic sectors. This is often part of broader value chain development and market systems development initiatives.


Providing access to finance


We facilitate access to affordable and appropriate finance through community-based savings groups, and self-help groups where women and the poor have limited ability to access formal services. These local structures are often women-led and serve as a platform for other interventions which promote access to financial literacy and social and economic opportunities.


We also strengthen links between community institutions and households, and formal financial services and digital financial tools. This broadens access to financial products and services including savings, lending and insurance.