What We Do

Nearly half of the world’s population — more than 3.5 billion people — live on less than $2.50 a day. More than 700 million people live in extreme poverty (less than USD $1.90 a day), the majority of whom are in Africa and Asia.

Aga Khan Foundation Canada tackles the root causes of this poverty through a holistic and interconnected set of programs. These initiatives address people’s most pressing needs and enable them to unlock their full potential, with a particular focus on marginalized groups like women and girls.

Our programs aim to ensure access to high-quality education and health care, ensure food security, improve economic well-being, and develop resilient communities and societies. We bring together human, financial, and technical resources to some of the poorest and most marginalized communities, with an emphasis on women and girls, investing in human potential, expanding opportunity, and improving quality of life.

Quality education for a bright future

We all have a favourite teacher from when we went to school. They inspired in us a sense of boundless wonder, and motivated us to reach new heights.

Under the canopy of the apricot trees

It sits nestled in the palm of my hand, a shrunken, wrinkled russet sphere that rattles softly when I shake it. I find it in Zeverdashd, a Tajik village wedged between the towering Pamir Mountains of Tajikistan and Afghanistan. It represents a livelihood for 15 women and their families.

Weaving a Brighter Future: Apendiwe’s story

Apendiwe Momade sits in the shade outside her home in rural Mozambique, next to a billowing pile of dried grass.

Her legs are outstretched on one of her homemade mats, her fingers a blur as she expertly twists the grass into intricate patterns.

Carving out a better life

Several wooden spoons and forks are perched on a table as Fatima puts the finishing touches on another one. Around her, other carpenters are carving signs, measuring material, and smoothing out large pieces of wood for new projects.

New opportunities for a new generation in northern Pakistan

Meet Mahayuddin and Aftar Gul, a remarkable duo changing lives in northern Pakistan.

Making the Grade: A New Chapter for Education in East Africa

For Betty and Acidiri, reading together is about more than quality family time. Acidiri’s teachers encourage all the parents in the community to read with their children – a strong predictor of academic success later in life.

The Flexible Response Fund of the Girls’ Education Support Program in Afghanistan

In Afghanistan’s rural northern provinces, the barriers to educating girls are diverse and always changing – but often, the solutions are simple.

Healthy Mothers and Children: The Heart of Communities

A healthy body and mind are fundamental to a good quality of life. In Canada, we have the building blocks of good health: nutritious food, clean water, sanitary living conditions, and access to medical care.

Bangladesh’s children hold the future in their hands

AKFC works with partners in Bangladesh to improve access to quality early childhood care in some of the country’s most vulnerable communities.