Reducing the vulnerability of communities to disasters is an integral part of AKDN’s development approach. In Afghanistan and Tajikistan, countries prone to a variety of natural disasters, AKDN’s disaster preparedness activities include Community Emergency Response Trainings and School Emergency Response Trainings, which provide at risk communities with the skills required to respond effectively. Along the Panj River, which forms the border of Afghanistan and Tajikistan, AKDN is working with governments and communities to reinforce riverbanks, protecting critical agricultural land from flooding and erosion and reclaiming productive land for communities on both sides of the border. Village meetings increased disaster preparedness and helped restore livelihoods. “There is dignity in the individual’s ability to manage his or her destiny. That being the case, the best of charity, in Islamic terms, can go beyond material support alone. It can take the form of human or professional support such as the provision of education for those otherwise unable to obtain it, or of the sharing of knowledge to help marginalised individuals build different and better futures for themselves. Thus conceived, charity is not limited to a one-time material gift, but can be seen as a continuum of support in a time frame which can extend to years.” His Highness the Aga Khan speaking at the Conference on Indigenous Philanthropy, Islamabad, Pakistan - 17 October 2000.