Aga Khan Development Network

The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) is a network of private, non-denominational development agencies established by the Aga Khan to improve the quality of life of the "the Ismailis and the broader societies in which they live" particularly in the sub-Saharan Africa, Central and South Asia, and the Middle East, "home to some of the poorest and most diverse populations in the world." His Highness Prince Karim succeeded to the office of the 49th hereditary Imam - as spiritual leader of the Shia Ismaili Muslims - in 1957. Ismailis consist of an estimated 25-30 million adherents (about 20% of the world's Shia Muslim population).he network focuses on health, education, culture, rural development, institution-building and the promotion of economic development. The AKDN aims to improve living conditions and opportunities for the poor, without regard to their faith, origin or gender. Its annual budget for not-for-profit activities is approximately US$600 million – mainly in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. The AKDN works in 30 countries around the world, and it employs over 80 thousand paid staff, mostly in developing countries. While the agencies are secular, they are "guided by Islamic ethics, which bridge faith and society."