The month in pictures: June

Baby Devi is one of the most successful pashu sakhis (community animal healthcare worker) in her district. When she first began working as a pashu sakhi, she faced numerous challenges and received little support from her family. But she persevered, and today, she is recognised as a Lakhpati pashu sakhi (earning over $1,200 annually) under Project Mesha, an AKF-led initiative that supports landless farming households by improving goat-based livelihoods and strengthening the value chain.

In the photo, Baby Devi proudly stands on a plot of land she bought and registered in her own name—another milestone achieved through her hard-earned income. Speaking to the AKF team, she shared her dream of saving more to eventually build a house for her family on that land.

A birds-eye view of the newly rehabilitated Saan Alqibli School playground in Salamieh. As part of the final phase of a school rehabilitation project – funded by the Embassy of Japan and implemented by AKF – the school received significant upgrades, including classroom improvements, WASH facilities, a rehabilitated playground, and a solar energy installation. These efforts aim to create a safe, sustainable, and supportive learning environment for students, teachers, and the community, contributing to peacebuilding and educational development in the region.

In the joyful finale of the Schools2030 Global Forum, the incredible ChezaCheza Dance – a Kenyan foundation that uses dance as a tool to build essential social and emotional skills of children and young people in marginalised communities – lit up the stage with a vibrant dance showcase. Everyone was on their feet, joining in for a celebration of culture, energy, and the power of movement.

Over three days, more than 200 educators, policymakers, researchers, and civil society leaders from across more than 30 countries, gathered in Nairobi for the fourth annual Schools2030 Global Forum, co-hosted by AKF and the Ministry of Education, Kenya.

Another ‘solar giraffe’ come to life – this time in Montepuez, bringing light and hope to the community. Across Cabo Delgado’s rural areas, AKF is installing solar giraffes like this one. The structures utilise solar energy to provide free electricity for charging mobile phones and other small electronic devices. Beyond their practical use, the giraffes serve as communal gathering points where people can connect, exchange ideas, and discuss local matters while their devices recharge.

This initiative is implemented by AKF with the invaluable technical collaboration of Carlos Morgado Foundation and the financial support of the European Union.

Farmer Davlatov Kurbonali, from the village of Darai Ob, stands with a hosepipe connected to a solar-powered irrigation system that has transformed his apple orchard. Located at an altitude of 1,999 meters, this region relies heavily on cultivation and livestock, but faces harsh weather conditions, including hot and dry spells that threaten crop productivity. Davlatov’s solar-powered drip irrigation system pumps water from deep underground wells, delivering it directly to his apple trees’ roots.

This innovative system, installed in 2024 with support from AKF, has nearly doubled his orchard’s yield. By autumn 2024, Davlatov harvested 30 tons of high-quality apples, improving his income and contributing to sustainable food production in the region.

Members of the AKF team assess the landscape during a Hazard, Vulnerability, and Risk Assessment (HVRA), which took place across four locations in Salamieh. Conducted as part of AKF’s emergency management efforts, this comprehensive assessment includes offsite and onsite evaluations, followed by validation and analysis. The goal is to enhance disaster preparedness by identifying risks that may impact the local population. The resulting hazard maps and HVRA reports guide future mitigation efforts, helping safeguard over 2,000 people in these communities.

As part of our climate resilience efforts, AKF is supporting communities in the remote and mountainous regions of Badakhshan to adapt to the escalating challenges posed by climate change. This area faces extreme weather conditions, including unpredictable rainfall, prolonged droughts, and rising temperatures, all of which threaten agriculture and water resources. Through these efforts, AKF is empowering local populations with the tools, knowledge, and sustainable practices they need to build a more resilient future, ensuring that communities can withstand these climate-related pressures and secure their livelihoods for generations to come.

Nestled within a microforest, this insect hotel offers safe nesting spaces and shelter for beneficial insects. Supported by AKF, the initiative helps protect these essential insect populations whose natural habitats are rapidly disappearing. By sustaining the natural food chain and enhancing local biodiversity, insect hotels play a key role in fostering ecological balance. This innovative approach is part of AKF’s broader efforts to promote climate resilience amongst local communities.

At the Schools2030 Global Forum in Nairobi, teachers engaged with delegates from across the world at the Walimu Soko – the teacher showcase. The showcase featured teacher-led innovations from across the Schools2030 movement and elevated teachers as leaders and problem-solvers, not just implementers of learning. Such opportunities affirm teacher expertise and agency, encouraging peer learning and inspiring wider system change while bridging the gap between classrooms and policymakers, ensuring teacher voices shape the future of education.

Schools2030 is AKF’s flagship education initiative, catalysing school-driven holistic learning innovations to achieve SDG4 by 2030.