The Long Reach of Early Childhood
Film offers a powerful medium to shape people’s awareness and inspire action. An effective film can create positive change. While at a World Bank showing of The Beginning of Life, a documentary film about the vital first years of human development, Aga Khan Foundation Fellows Sayfullo Nusayriev and Laila Jiwani reflect on the implications of […]
Fellows Spotlight: Investing in Technology for Stronger Communities
At the Scaling PeaceTech Summit 2016, held at the United States Institute of Peace, professionals in development, tech, data science, media and government gathered to discuss the enormous potential of the ever-increasing global reach of technology. The growing use of mobile technology has led to more widespread access to information, larger sources of data, and […]
Fellows Spotlight: Where Inspiration Takes Root
“…If you have a well educated mind, you will be able to seize the opportunities life offers you…” – His Highness the Aga Khan, Atlanta, Georgia, April 18, 2008 Since I joined the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) in the United States as Programs Fellow in October 2015, I have been involved in various program activities […]
Fellows Spotlight: Lessons in Impact Investing
Every year, the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE) holds a conference focused on addressing the challenges of measuring and reporting the impact of investments in small and growing businesses in the developing world. In my role as an Impact Investing Fellow at Aga Khan Foundation (AKF), I was fortunate to attend this year’s conference […]
Yuva Junction Facilitates Alternative Livelihoods for Young People in India
A little over a month ago, I read the words of Marie Wilson, author, political organizer and founder of the White House project, for the very first time: “You can’t be what you can’t see.” Those words couldn’t have been timelier as I travelled across rural Gujarat, meeting many young men and women for whom […]
The World in a Grain of Rice
How much of the solution to global hunger lies in the DNA of the food on our plates? That was the question on September 25th, when I had the opportunity to attend an event at the Brookings Institution entitled “Tackling the ‘Zero Hunger Challenge’ by 2030: A Conversation with Robert Zeigler.” Dr. Zeigler, the Director […]
Fellows Spotlight: Sharing the Impressive Impact of a Fellowship
My nine-month fellowship with Aga Khan Foundation U.S.A. (AKF USA) has taught me much about international development, both its institutions and its individuals. Since my previous blog, in which I shared the impressive impact of savings groups in Tajikistan, I have learned a lot through my experience in the Washington, DC office and the perspective […]
Fellows Spotlight: Values – the Binding Component
A little over one year ago to the day, I had my final Fellows interview with Dr. Mirza Jahani, the CEO of the Aga Khan Foundation U.S.A. (AKF USA) along with the Fellowship Coordinator. It was a nerve-racking 45-minutes, and my textbook answer to his real-life question seemed to satisfy for a few moments, until he asked […]
Fellows Spotlight: A View of Market-based Solutions to the Challenges of Development
Last September I joined the Aga Khan Foundation U.S.A. (AKF USA) as the Impact Investing Fellow. Upon receiving confirmation of my acceptance into the first cohort of AKF USA’s Fellowship program, I remember feeling overwhelmingly grateful for the opportunity to join an organization as distinguished as AKF USA, part of a network of agencies that […]
Fellows Spotlight: Gaining New Perspectives, from Dushanbe to DC
Before starting the Aga Khan Foundation U.S.A. (AKF USA) fellowship in November 2013, I was working as a Grants Finance Officer for Aga Khan Foundation Tajikistan, which targets a number of development challenges by forming intellectual and financial partnerships with organizations that share its objectives. As part of a team, I helped to implement projects […]