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Abdul Sattar Edhi {The Founder Of Edhi Foundation}
Abdul Sattar Edhi was born in 1931 in a small village of Bantva near Jhoona garh, Gujrat (India). The seeds of compassion for the suffering humanity were sown in his soul by his mother’s infirmity. When Edhi was at the tender age of eleven, his mother became paralyzed and later got mentally ill. Young Edhi devoted himself looking after all her needs; cleaning, bathing, changing clothes and feeding. This proved to be a loosing battle against the disease, and her helplessness increased over the years. Her persistent woeful condition left a lasting impression on Edhi. The course of his life took a different turn from other persons of his age. His studies were also seriously affected and he could not complete his high school level. For him the world of suffering became his tutor and source of wisdom.

Edhi’s mother died when he was 19. His personal experience made him think of thousands and millions, suffering like his mother, with nobody to look after them. He thought that he had a call to help these people. He had a vision of chains of welfare centers and Hospitals that could be opened to alleviate the pain of those suffering from illness and neglect. Even at this early age, he felt personally responsible for taking on the challenge of developing a system of services to reduce human miseries. The task was huge; he had no resources. But it was some thing that he had to do even if he had to walk to the streets with a cap in hand to beg for this purpose.

Edhi and his family migrated to Pakistan in 1947. In order to earn his living, Edhi initially started as a peddler, later became a commission agent selling cloth in the wholesale market in Karachi. After a couple of years, he left this occupation and with the support of some members of the community decided to establish a free dispensary. He became involved in the charity work. However, soon his personal vision of a growing and developing system of services made him decide to establish a welfare trust of his own and named it as “Edhi Trust”. He made an appeal to the public for funds and he was able to raise RS 2,00,000. The range and scope of work of Edhi trust expanded with remarkable speed under the driving spirit of the man behind it.

Edhi was married in 1965 to Bilquis, a nurse who worked at the Edhi dispensary. The couple have four children, two daughters and two sons. Bilquis runs the free maternity home at the headquarter in Karachi and organizes the adoption of illegitimate and abandoned babies.

Despite his enormous fame and the vast sums of money that passes through his hands, Edhi adheres to a very simple and modest life style. He and his family live in a two-room apartment adjacent to the premises of Foundation’s headquarters. They live on the income from government securities that Edhi bought many years ago to take care of their personal needs.

Of the 2000 paid workers of Edhi foundation 500 are women. They work in various capacities. More-over several women volunteers help Edhi foundation in fund raising.


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Edhi Foundation
Abdul Sattar Edhi - social worker
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LINK RESOURCES

Export Promotion Bureau Pakistan
Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry
Edhi Foundation

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