In Pakistan, how the Aga Khan lifted a valley out of poverty
The highest irrigation channel is clearly visible on either side of the Hunza valley (and in the image below) allowing trees and crops to grow below it
AKDN/Christopher Wilton-Steer
Media Source: La Croix
Date: 15 July 2026
Education, health system, local development… In a few decades, the Hunza Valley, in the far north of Pakistan, has undergone a spectacular transformation, supported by foundations linked to the Aga Khan, spiritual leader of the Ismaili community. The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) and the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) have…
Education, health system, local development… In a few decades, the Hunza Valley, in the far north of Pakistan, has undergone a spectacular transformation, supported by foundations linked to the Aga Khan, spiritual leader of the Ismaili community. The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) and the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) have helped transform Pakistan's Hunza Valley from one of the country's poorest and most isolated regions into one with some of its highest human development indicators. Since the 1960s, investments in education, healthcare, local development and basic infrastructure have contributed to dramatic improvements in literacy, livelihoods and opportunities. The construction of schools, hospitals and the Karakoram Highway, alongside community-led development programmes have doubled the average income of around one million inhabitants in northern Pakistan over a decade. Remarkable progress has been made by women, who are now widely represented in education, entrepreneurship, local government and the professions. Although Hunza Valley faces growing pressures from tourism and climate change, it remains a powerful example of long-term, locally driven development supported by the Aga Khan Development Network.