AGA KHAN FOUNDATION (AKF)

Programme Director - Health:

Dr John Tomaro (from 1 September 1996)

P.O. Box 6179

CH-1211 Geneva 6

Tel: + 41 22 909 72 00

Fax: + 41 22 909 72 91

Telex: 413452 akf ch

E-mail: brenda@atge.automail.com

1967 by His Highness the Aga Khan, 49th Imam of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims.

Objectives/aims/principles:

To promote social development through philanthropic activities in the developing world. AKF is non-communal and is committed by charter to assisting in the struggle against hunger, disease and illiteracy throughout the world. Seeks to use its human, financial and physical resources to innovate with new ideas, "grassroots" development concepts, organizational and managerial structures and practical technologies and cost-effective techniques that have broad value and utility in resolving generic problems of development primarily in developing countries of Asia and Africa.

Structure and policy:

Governing body(ies): Governed by a Board of 4 Directors with His Highness the Aga Khan as Chairman. The Board reviews policy and management matters pertaining to its head office in Geneva and national units. AKF units have national committees, chief executive officers and support staff. The Board meets 3 times a year.

Staff: 107 worldwide

Language(s): English

Finance: Own assets plus international and national donations

Budget: Approximately US$ 50 million

Membership: Branches and/or affiliates in 11 countries (Africa, Asia and industrialized countries)

Relations with other organizations:

Intergovernmental/governmental: CIDA, registered with USAID as an official PVO. The Foundation participates with other donors in international funding consortia to support the CHRD, ICDDR,B, the IIMI, headquarters in Sri Lanka, and BRAC

Nongovernmental: Cofunding partnerships with over 30 international, national, private and public development agencies

Activities:

Overall programmes focus on 3 major development fields: (1) health systems; (2) education; including early childhood care and development; and (3) rural development and income generation to alleviate poverty.

The network of the Aga Khan Foundation, the Aga Khan University (ADU) Faculty of Health Science (medical college and nursing school) and the Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi, together with the Aga Khan Health Services (working principally in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Kenya), carry out programmes aimed at social development. The health programme aims at community-based health care, supported by appropriate health technologies, community-oriented health manpower training, and health education. Training of physicians and nurses for community-oriented primary health care (PHC) activities has been introduced into the curricula of the Karachi-based institutions, and the Aga Khan Health services in Kenya, India, and Pakistan, base their work on primary health care concepts.

Publications: A variety of health publications on PHC, the most recent PHC Management Advancement Programme Modules (1993); Lessons Learned from Primary Health Care Programmes funded by the Aga Khan Foundation (1992).