Akhter Hameed Khan Foundation

What Akhter Hameed Khan Foundation does

Akhter Hameed Khan Foundation (AHKF) is a Pakistan-based nonprofit founded in 2010 and headquartered in Islamabad, addressing multidimensional urban poverty through women-centered community programs across primary healthcare, education, women's economic empowerment, digital skills, and climate resilience. The foundation operates the Aapi Outreach Model — trained local women equipped with smartphones who geo-tag households and deliver maternal health, family planning, nutrition screening, immunization referrals, and mental health counseling (Rawan Desk) to underserved urban families, reaching 124,000+ households at an approximate cost of USD 4 per household. Education programs include Digital Learning Centers with 184+ enrolled students, Early Childhood Education, and Adult Literacy (5,000+ low-literacy women trained); women's economic empowerment is delivered through the British Asian Trust-funded Enterprise Acceleration Program, a Revolving Credit Program, and a Business-in-a-Box model. The Urban Impact Lab — a shared field innovation platform with RADS — combines Google Buildings data, Plus Codes, and small area estimates for population mapping in Orangi (Karachi) and Dhoke Hassu (Rawalpindi). The most recent addition is the D4WEE digital skills program in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Peshawar, Mardan, Swabi), co-funded by UN Women and KOICA, offering 40+ courses with a Korean exchange component.

AHKF's operating model is community-led and field-anchored: Aapis and Rahbars (local women) act as outreach agents, programs are co-designed with women, local leaders, and institutions, and service delivery is integrated at household and settlement levels rather than delivered through discrete vertical programs. Technology underpins the model via smartphone-based geo-tagging, SurveyCTO for data capture, and live digital health dashboards, but the core asset is the human network of community workers and the trust it generates. Revenue is sourced from institutional grants (UN Women, KOICA, British Asian Trust, WHO, UNICEF, Norwegian Church Aid, State Bank of Pakistan) and individual donations; all beneficiary services are provided free of charge. The organization is registered under the Societies Act of Pakistan, governed by a Board chaired by Shoaib Sultan Khan with Dr. Ayesha Khan as CEO, and operates with a team of approximately 16 staff plus broader field workers across Islamabad, Karachi, Rawalpindi, KP, and Quetta.

Name

Akhter Hameed Khan Foundation

Legal name

Akhter Hameed Khan Foundation

Website

https://ahk-foundation.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Akhter Hameed Khan Foundation is a Pakistan-based nonprofit that delivers women-centered community programs in primary healthcare, education, economic empowerment, digital skills, and climate resilience to low-income urban households across multiple provinces, funded primarily by UN agencies and bilateral donors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Child and Youth Services (62411), Civic and Social Organizations (8134), Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Health, Prevention & Health Education (BPAGACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Health & Prevention Program Funding (HLAJALAF), Maternal, Child & Family Health Program Funding (HLAJALAG), Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK)

Keywords

• Community health outreach
• Women's economic empowerment
• Digital skills training
• Early childhood education
• Climate-resilient housing

Headquarters

HQ city

Islamabad

HQ country

Pakistan

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The foundation operates as a non-profit organization relying on donations from individuals, corporations, and philanthropists. The website features a donation page for public contributions.
2. Institutional Grants and Funding: Programs funded by international organizations and development partners including UN Women, KOICA, British Asian Trust, Norwegian Church Aid, WHO, UNICEF, and others.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Akhter Hameed Khan Foundation is a nonprofit that delivers women-centered community development programs to low-income urban households across Pakistan. Its core offerings span Primary Healthcare (Aapi Outreach Model, nutrition screening, Rawan Desk mental health), Education (Digital Learning Centers, Early Childhood Education, Adult Literacy), Women's Economic Empowerment (Enterprise Acceleration Program, Revolving Credit, Business-in-a-Box), Digital Skills training (D4WEE), Climate Resilience (housing retrofits, WASH systems), and the Urban Impact Lab research and mapping platform. All programs are provided free of cost to beneficiaries and funded through institutional grants and donations.

Product overview

Akhter Hameed Khan Foundation (AHKF) operates as a women-centered nonprofit addressing urban poverty in Pakistan through multiple interconnected programs. The core offering includes: (1) Primary Healthcare services via the Aapi Outreach Model—trained community health workers using smartphones for household mapping and health referrals, plus Nutrition Screening and Rawan Desk mental health counseling; (2) Education programs including Digital Learning Centers, Early Childhood Education, and Adult Literacy; (3) Women's Economic Empowerment featuring the Enterprise Acceleration Program (BAT-funded), Revolving Credit Program, and Business-in-a-Box Model; (4) D4WEE—a UN Women/KOICA-funded digital skills academy with comprehensive curriculum from foundational to advanced technical courses; (5) Urban Impact Lab—a field innovation platform using Google Buildings data and Plus Codes for population mapping and last-mile service delivery; and (6) Climate Resilience including climate-smart housing pilots and community-driven WASH systems. The programs are unified by a community trust methodology using Aapis, Rahbars, digital data systems, referral networks, and dashboards to deliver integrated services at household and settlement levels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Urban Impact Lab (UIL): AHKF and RADS' shared field innovation platform combining population mapping, Google Buildings data, Plus Codes, small area estimates and service catchment analysis for urban poverty reduction.

Products and services

• Aapi Outreach Model Community health worker model that trains trusted local women (Aapis) to deliver maternal health, family planning, and nutrition support in underserved urban areas. Aapis use smartphones to geo-tag households, track health needs, and link families to public and private clinics. Designed for low-income urban women and households in Pakistan.
• Primary Healthcare (PHC) Referrals Bridge connecting communities and clinics ensuring timely referrals, preventive care, and sustainable health access for underserved families. Integrated with the Aapi Outreach Model and digital health tracking systems.
• Nutrition and Malnutrition Screening Program Screening and counseling program tackling stunting and wasting through fortified food solutions, having identified and treated 1,150 severe malnutrition cases. Designed for children and families in underserved urban settlements.
• Rawan Desk Mental health counseling platform providing a trusted space where families seek guidance, feedback, and linkage to health services. Designed for women and families in underserved urban communities.
• Digital Learning and Library Center Digital education hub offering coding classes, career mentoring, and digital skills training to bridge the digital divide for youth in low-income communities. Currently 184+ students enrolled across 127+ low-income private schools in the network.
• Early Childhood Education (ECE) Program guided by community teachers using digital tools to nurture young minds through play, care, and responsive parenting for lifelong learning foundations. Designed for young children in underserved urban communities.
• Adult Literacy Program (ALP) Literacy program empowering adults with reading, writing, and digital skills to enable opportunity, dignity, and participation in community life. Has trained 5,000+ low-literacy women through community learning hubs.
• Enterprise Acceleration Program (EAP) Business growth program supporting women-led and small enterprises with hands-on training, mentorship, and real market linkages to increase income and create jobs. Funded by the British Asian Trust and delivered with RCCI and SMEDA partnerships.
• Revolving Credit Program Interest-free group-guaranteed microfinance program enabling women to launch or scale businesses with structured repayments and accountability support. Designed for women micro-entrepreneurs in Pakistan.
• Business-in-a-Box (BiB) Model Portable micro-business kits that combine health outreach with income-generating opportunities, equipping Aapis and entrepreneurs with ready-to-run business opportunities. Designed for Aapis and women micro-entrepreneurs.
• Digitalization For Women's Economic Empowerment (D4WEE) Comprehensive digital skills training program supporting women aged 18-35 in Peshawar, Mardan, and Swabi (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) with 40+ courses covering foundational computer literacy, digital safety, AI essentials, graphic design, web development, and freelancing. Delivered via hybrid in-person and online model. Funded by UN Women and KOICA; curriculum co-developed with Code for Pakistan.
• Urban Impact Lab Field innovation platform in Orangi, Karachi and Dhoke Hassu, Rawalpindi combining population mapping, Google Buildings data, Plus Codes, and service catchment analysis to identify underserved households and develop last-mile service delivery models. Established 2016 (Dhoke Hassu) and 2022 (Orangi) in partnership with Research and Development for Development Solutions (RADS).
• Climate-Resilient Housing and Retrofitting Affordable climate-resilient housing solutions including insulated roofs, solar energy, and flood-adaptive designs co-created with communities. Delivered in Sindh (70 units) and Punjab (59 units) post-2022 floods for vulnerable urban settlements.
• Community-Driven Water and Sanitation (WASH) Decentralized water and sanitation systems including rainwater harvesting, bio-sand filters, and lane drainage managed by community groups and linked to utilities. Designed for informal urban settlements in Karachi, Rawalpindi, and Quetta.

Quantifiable outcome

• 124,000 households reached at USD 4 per household
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability7 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.

• World Health Organization (WHO)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWHO logo appears on partner section of website, indicating collaboration on health programs and initiatives for underserved communities.
• UNICEFmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNICEF logo appears on partner section, indicating collaboration on child health, vaccination, and development programs.
• State Bank of PakistanmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState Bank logo appears on partner section, indicating financial inclusion and microfinance program partnerships.
• Norwegian Church AidmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerNorwegian Church Aid is listed as a partner, providing funding and support for development programs.
• Karachi School of Business and Leadership (KSBL)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership with KSBL for research and development initiatives.
• Circular Plastic InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental partnership focused on circular economy and plastic waste solutions in urban communities.
• Urban Resource CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with urban development organization for knowledge sharing and resource coordination.
• Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational environmental strategies partnership for climate resilience initiatives.
• NED University of Engineering and Technology (NED)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership with NED for technical collaboration and research.
• SUNSCAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with sustainability or climate-related organization.
• Code for PakistancoreTechnology or IntegrationCode for Pakistan developed the D4WEE curriculum with 40+ courses covering foundational, creative, business, and technical digital skills. Provides hybrid learning content and support.
• TiE IslamabadminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTiE Islamabad provides mentorship and networking opportunities for women entrepreneurs in the D4WEE program.
• Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRCCI partnership provides women entrepreneurs with networking events, business exposure, and access to new markets.
• Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSMEDA partnership supports women entrepreneurs with market linkages and business development services.
• COMSATSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership formed for research and development collaboration.
• NUSTminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership formed for research and development collaboration.
• Urban Impact Lab (RADS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerShared field innovation platform with Research and Development for Development Solutions (RADS) in Orangi, Karachi and Dhoke Hassu, Rawalpindi for urban poverty mapping and intervention.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Rural Support Programme (NRSP): Pakistan's largest rural support program operating in 64 districts. Comparable as a community-driven development peer with shared leadership lineage (Chairman Shoaib Sultan Khan founded NRSP) and parallel microfinance, health, and education interventions targeting low-income households.
• Akhuwat: Pakistan's largest interest-free microfinance institution, also serving low-income communities with group-guaranteed lending. Directly comparable for the Revolving Credit Program and women's economic empowerment work, with a Board Director (Saleem Ranjha) shared between the two organizations.
• Rural Support Programmes Network (RSPN): Umbrella network of rural support programs across Pakistan. Directly comparable institutionally given Vice Chairman Shandana Khan serves as RSPN's CEO, with overlapping community-led development and women's empowerment mandates.
• Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP): Community-driven rural development organization in northern Pakistan. Closely comparable in methodology and leadership overlap (Chairman Shoaib Sultan Khan founded AKRSP), sharing the community organization and self-reliance philosophy that underpins AHKF's work.
• Research and Development Solutions (RADS): Pakistan-based research and development organization co-operating the Urban Impact Lab with AHKF. Closest comparable for the data-driven mapping and Urban Impact Lab function, with shared platform infrastructure and field operations in Orangi, Karachi and Dhoke Hassu, Rawalpindi.
• Orangi Pilot Project: Karachi-based community-led development nonprofit founded by Dr. Akhter Hameed Khan himself. Directly comparable as the legacy organization whose model inspired AHKF, operating in the same urban informal settlement context with similar lane-level community engagement approach.
• Indus Resource Centre: Pakistan-based education and economic empowerment nonprofit serving low-income communities. Comparable for education and women's economic empowerment programming with similar community-led methodology and donor mix.

Broad incumbents

• The Citizens Foundation (TCF): Pakistan's largest private-sector education nonprofit operating 1,700+ schools. Comparable as a broad incumbent in education access, with Board Member Asma Rashid Khan having led fundraising at TCF.
• Edhi Foundation: Pakistan's largest humanitarian and welfare organization. Comparable as a broad nonprofit incumbent delivering community-based services to vulnerable populations, with similar donation-driven funding model though at substantially greater scale.
• Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF): National poverty alleviation entity that channels donor funding to community organizations across Pakistan. Comparable as a broader incumbent operating the same community-partnership model at significantly larger scale, and a potential funding intermediary for AHKF.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/akhterhameedkhanfoundation

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Akhter Hameed Khan Foundation