In the news

The unique healthy pregnancy text messaging (SMS) service reached 100,000 active registrants in March 2013. More than 4 million text messages have been sent to those who signed up for the free healthy pregnancy and safe motherhood information since the launch late November 2012.

Shamsh Kassim Lakha, the founding president of Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) in Pakistan held a jam-packed auditorium spell bound as he took them through the history of the institution, the challenges the organisers faced while building it, what they achieved and the lessons they learnt.

The University of Central Asia's (UCA) School of Professional and Continuing Education (UCA-SPCE) held its 8th graduation ceremony at the Khorog Theater on March 26.

Read the full article from Asia-Plus here. 

Diamond Trust Bank has joined a growing list of lenders set to receive funding from the International Finance Corporation (IFC). IFC’s disclosure documents say that the loans will be utilized to strengthen Diamond Trust capital base, and help to expand its lending activities to the small and medium sized enterprises (SME).

Bamiyan agriculture department officials have undertaken programs for the promotion of alfalfa production aimed at the development of Bamiyan’s livestock and environment. Alfalfa is grown in the districts of Waras, Punjaw and Yakawlang through the agriculture department. In the districts of Sheebar, Saighan and Kohmard, alfalfa is grown through the HELVETAS Incorporation and Aga Khan Foundation.

Aga Khan Foundation Canada is partnering with Carleton University’s School of Public Policy and Administration to welcome international speakers on topics such as impact investing, new approaches to microfinance, and innovative financing for early human development for their upcoming series, AKFC Seminars on Innovative Financing for Development. The series is co-funded by CIDA. For more information or to register, please visit us here. 

The foundation is currently carrying out several renovation projects in many historical sites around old Fatimid Cairo, like restoring the crumbling city wall built by King Saladin, and has also initiated a private micro-investment project that supports craftsmen and women in old Cairo with technical and financial facilities.

Serena Hotel’s Gilgit-Baltistan Collection in collaboration with the Gilgit-Baltistan Forests Department, celebrated “World Forestry Day” on March 21st. This reinforced its commitment to operate its hotels and heritage properties as a 'Responsible Tourism' business and showed its dedication to bring a positive change within the tourism industry in Pakistan.

Badakhshan came in the limelight of both national and international media in 2002, when the Ministry of Public Health Afghanistan discovered that Badakhshan had the highest rate of maternal mortality in the world: 6,500 out of every 100,000 women die during child birth. In July 2004, I got an amazing opportunity to work for Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) in Badakhshan.

Badakhshan came in the limelight of both national and international media in 2002, when the Ministry of Public Health Afghanistan discovered that Badakhshan had the highest rate of maternal mortality in the world: 6,500 out of every 100,000 women die during child birth. In July 2004, I got an amazing opportunity to work for Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) in Badakhshan.