Pakistan

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As-salamu alaykum!

Dear friends,

Hello, and a very warm welcome to Pakistan!

I am excited to tell you about the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat’s (AKAH) pioneering work to help communities cope with climate and natural disaster risks in northern Pakistan.

In 2006, AKAH Pakistan introduced hazard, vulnerability and risk assessments (HVRA) as part of an innovative community-based disaster risk management initiative. This approach blends local knowledge with science and technology like Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and satellite images to help communities create disaster management plans to protect themselves from hazards and respond if disaster does strike.

The project has benefited over one million people across 800 settlements, and it recently won the 2020 World Habitat Gold Award.

We are now helping communities make longer-term plans to improve their habitats and adapt to climate change so they are not only safe from disasters, but can build a better future despite them.

Throughout the pandemic, we have continued to support these communities by building COVID-19 rapid response shelters, sharing public health messages, and distributing food, medicines, and personal protective equipment to those in need.

On behalf of my team and the people we serve, thank you for your generosity, and I invite you to learn more about these resilient mountain communities.

Dilshad Bano

Program Coordinator GIS & Habitat Planning
Emergency Management Department,
Aga Khan Agency for Habitat Pakistan

Pakistan at a glance

8,611meters above sea level

is K2, the highest point in Pakistan

1,046kilometers

of coastline

59%of the population

are literate

In 2020, AKF supported

1.2million

trees planted

10,500people

provided with drinking water and sanitation

1,750parents and caretakers

trained to support children learning at home

Finding Her Voice

Many youth in Pakistan don’t have the platform and opportunity to participate in and influence decision-making. Adiba, a youth advocate in Pakistan, is part of a youth group supported by AKF that comes together to discuss gender equality, health, and other issues. Through the group, Adiba is gaining confidence and navigating how she can use her voice to make a positive change in her community.

By working with more than 1,100 community groups and local women’s organizations in Pakistan, AKF has reached more than 340,000 women in the area and is improving women’s health and empowerment.

Finding Her Voice

By working with more than 1,100 community groups and local women’s organizations in Pakistan, AKF has reached more than 340,000 women in the area and is improving women’s health and empowerment.

Supporter Reflection

Malik & Zara M.

"Our family, like many others, came to America without much; yet the concept of giving was instilled in both of us no matter what we had. It is our purpose to help as many as we can so that we may return the blessings which have been bestowed upon us. We do not give because we are blessed, we are blessed because we give."

Please Join Me and Give Today

Local Flavor

Local Flavor: Pakistan

Chap Shoro

Chap Shoro, also known as Hunza pie, is a traditional dish from the Hunza Valley area of Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. Found in both roadside stalls and high-end cafes, Chap Shoro consists of flatbread stuffed with a flavorful mix of minced meat, chilies, tomatoes, and spices.

Try the recipe from Hunza Bytes and post a photo of your meal on social media using #AKFVirtualVoyage.

Do you have another way of making Chap Shoro, or do you have another favorite food from Pakistan? Share your traditions and dishes with #AKFVirtual Voyage.

Local Flavor: Pakistan

Chap Shoro

Try the recipe from Hunza Bytes and post a photo of your meal on social media using #AKFVirtualVoyage.

Do you have another way of making Chap Shoro, or do you have another favorite food from Pakistan? Share your traditions and dishes with #AKFVirtual Voyage.

The Backseat

Learning Across the World

We believe all children, no matter where they live, deserve a world-class education.

In Pakistan, the Aga Khan Foundation works with teachers, caregivers, and schools to make that possible. Check out some pictures of classrooms from our Schools Improvement Programme. (They were taken before COVID-19, so you won’t see masks.)

How do these classrooms look like your classroom? How are they different?

What do you think the students are learning? How can you tell?

photos by Christopher Wilton-Steer/AKDN

Explore the Virtual Voyage with activities made just for kids.

Download our activity pack below to learn more about the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Pakistan, and Kenya!

Download your pack

Share the Journey

Post about your Virtual Voyage experience using #AKFVirtualVoyage on social media.

Give now.

Your support is needed now more than ever.

For decades, your generosity has contributed to AKF’s wide range of development activities around the world. With your help, we can continue this critical work during a time when the world needs us the most.

Give monthly to join iHope, a community of donors committed to sustaining AKF’s work today and in the future.

Or make a one-time gift to support our work now.

AKF USA is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Your donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowable by law.