Rooted in Legacy
Inspired by Akhter Hameed Khan.
Akhter Hameed Khan believed in self-reliance, grassroots empowerment, and learning by doing.
“Pakistan’s development will not come from the top, it will come from the bottom by the people and it will happen in pockets. One island here, one there, and you will form one island of hope”
Dr Akhter Hameed Khan,
Development practitioner and social scientist.
What guides us
Rooted in legacy.
Dr. Akhter Hameed Khan (1914–1999) was a renowned social scientist, reformer, and development practitioner whose pioneering work shaped community-led development across South Asia. From the transformative Comilla Model in Bangladesh to the Orangi Pilot Project in Karachi, his philosophy emphasized self-reliance, grassroots empowerment, and learning by doing.
At AHKF, we carry forward his vision — adapting his timeless principles to today’s challenges in urbanization, climate resilience, and inclusive growth.
Our Mission.
To empower women and their families by enabling access to information, skills, resources
and opportunities for improving their lives.
Our Vision.
Poor urban households in Pakistan are transformed into healthy, prosperous, and thriving communities.
Our Values.
Equality Respect Innovation
Diversity Accountability
CEO
Dr Ayesha Khan.
Progress is rarely linear. At AHKF, resilience is not just how we respond to adversity, but how we continue to place communities at the center of development. Guided by our ethos of development thinking in a changing world, we remain committed to strengthening women’s economic empowerment, expanding access to education, advancing primary healthcare, and building climate-resilient cities. Together, these efforts reflect our belief that lasting change emerges when people are empowered to shape their own futures.
Program Manager
Imran Javed.
At AHKF, we’ve learned that transformation doesn’t come from delivering answers — it comes from asking the right questions and truly listening. When women and youth are given space to lead, solutions stop being temporary fixes and start becoming lasting change. Every time a community takes ownership of its future, it proves that resilience is not a gift we give, but a strength that already exists within them.