The Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) was established to serve the communities of the erstwhile northern areas and Chitral. Since its inception, the AKRSP has been supporting micro-level developments in the mountainous rural areas using participatory approaches by investing in the social capital and ensuring community participation. One of the visible impacts of the AKRSP is the establishment of a micro-finance bank which promotes entrepreneurship among the women of the villages.