Rural communities in Aswan rely on the River Nile for water, but the Nile is under threat. The Aga Khan Foundation, with its local partner the Om Habibeh Foundation, has worked with over 6,000 women and farmers to promote sustainable farming and environmentally friendly farming techniques. The agricultural program works with local organizations that help mobilize farmers, actors, brokers, with local markets and collectively bargain on behalf of their members, improving the income and practices of farmers.

The Om Habibeh Foundation was established by the Aga Khan’s late step-grandmother, Om Habibeh, the Begum Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan. It is an Egyptian not-for-profit organization of long-standing that has been contributing to and supporting a number of institutions in the Aswan area.