Edhi Foundation
Abdul Sattar Edhi, known as the ‘Angel of Mercy’ to many Pakistani people was a renowned philanthropist and humanitarian. He was born in 1928 in Gujarat, India which is now part of Pakistan.
Charitable work on behalf of others was instilled in Mr. Edie from a young age by his generous mother. He watched her serve the poor in his community and learned that the ultimate purpose in life is selfless service —just as Adam learns in our first novel.
After losing his mother when he was only 19, the young Mr. Edhi thought of other people in the same situation as his mother – he thought of the multitudes of people suffering with no hope. He dreamed of helping people on a larger scale. A vision began to develop in his mind of a chain of welfare centers spread out all over Pakistan to help those suffering from illness and neglect.
After accepting this call to selfless service, he realized this was a huge undertaking and he would need support. He established the ‘Edhi Trust’ which would later be called ‘Edhi Foundation’ He decided that he would put boots on the ground and collect the funds himself even if he had to walk the streets and beg for donations. His public appeal for funding worked and the people donated enough for him to purchase his first ambulance which he ran for years.
In 1965, Mr. Edhi met a nurse at his dispensary named Bilquis. Her desire to help the needy matched his and they were soon married. Their union is described in the perfect way by the Edhi Foundation:
“The husband-wife team has come to share the common vision of single minded devotion to the cause of alleviation of human sufferings and a sense of personal responsibility to respond to each call for help, regardless of race, creed or status.”
Mr. and Mrs. Edhi were always directly involved in the services they provided — with Mr. Edhi doing everything from collecting funds to taking part in the ritual baths of recently deceased impoverished people. He served free food at kitchens, picked up patients in ambulances, and spent time with orphanages who lovingly called him ‘Nana’ (grandfather.) Mrs. Bilquis runs a free maternity home and has facilitated an estimated 23,000 adoptions for abandoned babies in Pakistan.
Today the Edhi Foundation has an unmatched reputation in Pakistan. There are over 300 Edhi Centers and the foundation receives more charitable donations than any other due to the respect and trust for its founder.
A well known fact about Mr Edhi and his wife is that they always lived in the simplest way despite the large amount of sums surrounding them. They took nothing for themselves – neither of them ever took a salary from the Edhi Foundation and they lived a very modest life on a meager income from past investments. Mr Edhi was known for wearing the simplest of clothing with pockets full of candies for the orphans.
When Mr. Edhi passed away in 2016, it broke the heart of the nation and thousands of mourners attended his funeral. Six years later the heartbreak was compounded by the loss of his wife Bilquis. But the couple’s legacy lives on in the thousands of workers who serve the Edhi Foundation every day.
This legacy has influenced our writing After struggling to find his true purpose, our main character, Adam, discovers that true purpose is found in selfless service to others. He and his wife work for TSU – Tao Services for the Underprivileged – the not-for-profit where Adam realizes his purpose.
Not only have people like Mr. Edhi influenced our writing, but they have also influenced our lives. We realize that one cannot reach their true potential until they humble themselves in service to others. We hope our stories inspire you as well.
