The month in pictures: July

Building bridges in northern Pakistan, women-led crafts in Mozambique, and hosting The Earthshot Prize ‘Road to Regeneration’ event in London: scroll down to catch a glimpse of our work this month.

Gena Abdul Nabi, a young woman outside her local AGENCI (Adolescent Girls Education in Crisis Initiative) centre on the outskirts of Damascus, Syria. AGENCI supports young women affected by the conflict in Syria – for many it has meant losing out on years of formal education – to access inclusive formal and non-formal education. That might mean completing a certificate in Arabic, mathematics or science; learning key life skills; or undertaking vocational training. AGENCI is being implemented by AKF and the World University Service of Canada with funding from Global Affairs Canada.

Location: Damascus, Syria

Photographer: Christopher Wilton-Steer

Christopher Sombon leads fellow farmers and their families though farmland in rural Uganda. Christopher and other members of his community formed a ‘community design team’ after attending an AKF-led workshop to help parents identify barriers to their children getting education, then find solutions. The issues Christopher’s community identified were that families weren’t able to afford school fees and that children didn’t have any lunch to take. The solution was a farm where they could grow food to make lunches and sell some to get money for school fees. Christopher donated land to the group, and each weekend parents and students make their way to the farm to tend to their crops. 

Location: Moyo, Moyo County, Uganda 

Photographer: Rich Townsend

At a Women’s Sports Gala in Gilgit, people living with disabilities from the local community perform the national anthem in sign language. This gala was the first of its kind, organised by the Government of Gilgit-Baltistan in collaboration with the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme Pakistan. The event was established to showcase the sporting talents of women in the region and support more opportunities for women to learn from each other. 

Location: Gilgit, Pakistan 

Photographer: Ponum Humza

On the Island of Mozambique, women are leading the development of arts and crafts livelihoods through the Nitekeke programme, of which arts and crafts is one of four programmatic pillars. In the local Makuwa dialect, Nitekeke means ‘let’s build together’. AKF is working in partnership with Instituto Renato Imbroisi to implement the programme, funded by the Portuguese Development Cooperation and Camões IP.  

Location: Island of Mozambique, Mozambique 

Photographer: Renato Imbroisi (Instituto Renato Imbroisi)

In Upper Chitral, a remote district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of northern Pakistan, there is limited road infrastructure. In this harsh terrain, roads and bridges are essential for connecting communities to services like education and healthcare, as well as markets. The area is also prone to landslides and flooding, which are worsening as a result of climate change. In partnership with PATRIP Foundation, AKF is constructing hardwearing infrastructure throughout this region, as well as renovating existing roads and bridges to better withstand the harsh conditions. 

Location: Upper Chitral, Pakistan 

Photographer: Laure Bedecarrax

Earlier this month, we joined forces with UNICEF Tanzania to plant a micro-forest at their office in Oyster Bay, Dar es Salaam. A team of young climate champions from local schools and communities led the planting efforts, showcasing pathways to climate resilience in Tanzania and beyond. In the photo, UNICEF Tanzania’s Judith Kiwale is planting a young plant with a student from a local school. 

Location: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania 

Photographer: Lilian Magari

AKDN and The Earthshot Prize co-hosted a reception and networking event at the Aga Khan Centre in London. Following a global webinar earlier in the day, joined by over 160 attendees, The Earthshot Prize shared an exclusive preview of its roadmap for 2023 to give nominators and partners a first look at the high-priority areas for the next cycle. The networking event welcomed nominators, partners and finalists to continue their conversations and share ideas. AKDN is proud to be a founding partner of the Prize, as well as a nominator putting forward innovative, community-led climate-saving solutions for the prestigious award. 

Location: Aga Khan Centre, London, UK 

Photographer: The Earthshot Prize

East Africa Design Coaches, including staff and civil society organisation partners, in Mombasa, Kenya, for AKF’s first Design Coaching Course and Kick-Off Conference. This event, and the larger coaching journey, is aimed at enabling the supportive fabric required to grow our design and innovation work across our portfolio and the region. 

Location: Mombasa, Kenya 

Photographer: Staff member at City Blue Hotel, Mombasa

A teacher presents her idea for an eco-classroom to members of the Schools2030 National Advisory Committee (who ensure that the school innovations are aligned with government priorities for education), as well as members of the Republican Teacher Training Institute during the first National Showcasing event for Schools2030 teachers in Tajikistan. 28 teachers from across the country were invited to present their teaching innovations to a committee that included education ministers and various other stakeholders, including over 700 teachers. Schools2030 holds local, regional and national events like this to connect school-level innovation to policymakers and to promote positive system-wide changes in education.  

Location: Khatlon, Tajikistan 

Photographer: Najiba Temurshoeva