The month in pictures: January

Ramgati Maurya has set up a net house for growing vegetables – one of several climate-resilient farming practices he has recently embraced. The net house allows him to control temperature, humidity, and light intensity, minimising pest issues and eliminating the need for chemical pesticides. As a result, Ramgati has been able to navigate unpredictable weather conditions and produce a very healthy cauliflower crop, with impressively large leaves!

In northern Pakistan’s picturesque Yasin Valley, 45 girls have taken up ice hockey as a new hobby! Hailing from nine different districts across Gilgit-Baltistan, the girls took part in training led by the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) to learn how to play the sport. Together they have built their teamwork skills and gained confidence to break barriers in traditionally male-dominated activities. In the long-term, AKRSP is collaborating with the government and local organisations to showcase the region’s unique capacity to host winter sports events like this ice hockey match, as a pathway to tourism development.

Nestled amongst the pristine Alai mountains in southern Kyrgyz Republic’s Osh region, lies an apiary that houses between 50 to 100 bee hives at any one time. Supported by AKF, the apiary has evolved from a small honey production business into a thriving enterprise. In addition to producing honey, the owner – Ilimbek – now also manufactures five different types of hives tailored to the needs of both novice and professional beekeepers. He sells around 100 hives per year and has been diversifying his offering to include beekeeping accessories, further increasing his income.

At a school-based Early Childhood Development (ECD) centre in Tajikistan’s Sughd region, a young girl concentrates on colouring. AKF has established 15 centres like this one in partnership with the Ministry of Science and Education of Tajikistan to provide access to early education in the country’s remote areas. In total, there are 524 girls and boys enrolled across the centres.

Winter sun kisses a mountain peak in northeastern Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor. This narrow strip of land between Tajikistan and Pakistan is a high mountain valley where villages are extremely remote. The difficult terrain means short cropping seasons, small landholdings, poor infrastructure, and an acute vulnerability to natural disasters. Here, AKF is working with communities to enhance agricultural production, build disaster preparedness, construct climate-smart infrastructure, and develop and diversify income generation opportunities.

To reduce dependence on the public electricity grid, we have installed 72 solar panels at our office in Pemba – and counting! At their peak, the panels have the capacity to generate approximately 32.76 kVAs of clean and renewable energy for the building. The initiative has already led to a 38% reduction in energy costs compared to the previous year, reaffirming our commitment to sustainability and energy efficiency.

During a three-day residency for young artists in Sintra, this team-building activity was designed to build trust and collaboration, as the blindfolded participant relies on her group’s guidance to pick up the correct coloured balls. The residency was part of AKF’s process to establish a collective of young creatives in the municipality; the artists came together to discuss ideas and plan for the future, as a united network of young people. Together, they are helping to build a more inclusive and culturally vibrant future for Sintra.