▁ancient ▁Il ly ria ▁Category : O pp ida ▁Category : R oman ▁fort ifications ▁in ▁Cro atia <0x0A> </s> ▁K ash f ▁Foundation ▁() ▁is ▁a ▁non - pro fit , ▁micro fin ance ▁and ▁wealth ▁management ▁organization , ▁founded ▁by ▁Ros h ane h ▁Z af ar ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 . ▁K ash f ▁is ▁regarded ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁micro fin ance ▁institution ▁( M FI ) ▁of ▁Pakistan ▁that ▁uses ▁village ▁bank ing ▁method ology ▁in ▁micro cred it ▁to ▁alle vi ate ▁pover ty ▁by ▁providing ▁afford able ▁financial ▁and ▁non - fin an cial ▁services ▁to ▁low ▁income ▁households ▁- ▁particularly ▁for ▁women , ▁to ▁build ▁their ▁capacity ▁and ▁enh ance ▁their ▁economic ▁role . ▁With ▁headquarters ▁in ▁L ah ore , ▁P un j ab , ▁K ash f ▁has ▁regional ▁offices ▁in ▁five ▁major ▁cities ▁and ▁over ▁ 2 0 0 ▁branches ▁across ▁the ▁Pakistan . ▁ ▁Re cip ient ▁of ▁many ▁acc ol ades , ▁particularly ▁in ▁micro fin ance ▁sector , ▁it ▁was ▁awarded ▁Micro fin ance ▁Ex cell ence ▁Award ▁by ▁the ▁Gr ame en ▁Foundation ▁and ▁won ▁the ▁AG F UND ▁Second ▁International ▁Prize ▁for ▁Micro cred it , ▁compet ing ▁against ▁ 9 5 ▁countries . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁K ash f ▁was ▁ranked ▁no . ▁ 3 4 ▁among ▁the ▁Top ▁ 5 0 ▁M F Is ▁of ▁the ▁World ▁by ▁For bes . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁K ash