Abdul Sattar Edhi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Abdul Sattar Edhi
NI LPP GPA
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| عبد الستار ایدھی | |
Edhi, c. 2009
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| Born | 28 February 1928 Bantva, Bantva Manavadar, British India
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| Died | 8 July 2016 (aged 88) |
| Resting place | Edhi Village, Karachi |
| Nationality |
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| Other names | Angel of Mercy The Richest Poor Man |
| Organization | Edhi Foundation |
| Spouse(s) |
Bilquis Edhi
(m. 1965) |
| Children | 4 |
| Awards |
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Abdul Sattar Edhi (Urdu: عبد الستار ایدھی; 28 February 1928 – 8 July 2016) was a very kind Pakistani man. He spent his life helping others. He started the Edhi Foundation. This foundation runs the world's biggest volunteer ambulance service. It also has homes for people without shelter, animal shelters, and orphanages across Pakistan. After he passed away, his son Faisal Edhi continued his amazing work.
His helpful work grew a lot in 1957. This was when a flu sickness spread across Pakistan and the world. People gave him donations, which helped him buy his first ambulance that same year. He later expanded his charity with help from his wife, Bilquis Edhi.
During his life, the Edhi Foundation grew a lot. It was supported only by private donations. It even created a network of 1,800 ambulances. By the time he died, Edhi was like a parent or guardian to almost 20,000 adopted children. People in Pakistan call him the "Angel of Mercy." Many see him as Pakistan's most respected hero. In 2013, The Huffington Post called him "the world's greatest living humanitarian."
Edhi believed in religious tolerance in Pakistan. He also helped victims of Hurricane Katrina and the 1985 famine in Ethiopia. He was nominated many times for the Nobel Peace Prize. Edhi received several awards, including the Gandhi Peace Award. He also received the Ahmadiyya Muslim Peace Prize and the UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize. He died in July 2016 and was buried with full state honors.
Contents
Early Life and Beliefs
Edhi was born into a Memon Muslim family in Bantva. This was in what was then British India. He often said he was not a "very religious person." He believed that "empty words and long phrases do not impress God." He felt it was important to "show Him your faith" through actions. His mother taught him to love and care for all people.
The Edhi Foundation and Its Work
Edhi decided to spend his life helping poor people. Over the next sixty years, he completely changed how welfare worked in Pakistan. He then started the Edhi Foundation. Edhi lived a very simple life. He only owned two pairs of clothes. He never took a salary from his organization. He lived in a small apartment next to his office. His first welfare trust, called the Edhi Trust, was restarted with a small amount of money. It was later renamed the Bilquis Edhi Trust, after his wife.
Many people saw Edhi as a protector for the poor. He started getting many donations. This allowed him to make his services bigger. As of 2016, the Edhi Foundation continues to grow. It is still the largest welfare organization in Pakistan. Since it began, the Edhi Foundation has saved over 20,000 abandoned babies. It has also helped over 50,000 orphans. It has trained over 40,000 nurses. The foundation runs more than 330 welfare centers across Pakistan. These centers provide food, rehabilitation homes, shelters for women and children, and clinics for people with mental and physical disabilities.
The Edhi Foundation gets all its money from private donations. It offers free services to everyone, no matter their background or religion. It runs the world's largest volunteer ambulance service, with over 1,500 ambulances. It also offers 24-hour emergency services. The foundation operates free nursing homes, orphanages, clinics, women's shelters, and centers for the mentally ill. The Edhi Foundation has also helped in other countries. It has run relief efforts in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and the United States. In 2005, the foundation gave US$100,000 to help after Hurricane Katrina. As of 2020, the Foundation has offices in many countries. These include the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and India.
In 2014, the foundation was robbed of about US$500,000. It also faced challenges from some groups in Pakistan.
Travel Challenges
Edhi sometimes faced difficulties when traveling. In the early 1980s, he was stopped by Israeli soldiers in Lebanon. In 2006, he was held by authorities in Toronto, Canada, for over sixteen hours. In 2008, U.S. immigration officials questioned him for over eight hours at John F. Kennedy International Airport. They took his passport and other documents. When asked why this happened, Edhi said: "The only explanation I can think of is my beard and my dress." His traditional Pakistani clothing and long beard made him look visibly Muslim. After the 9/11 events, this led to more questioning by U.S. and Canadian travel authorities.
Personal Life and Passing
In 1965, Edhi married Bilquis, a nurse who worked at his trust's clinic. They had four children: two daughters and two sons. Bilquis was in charge of the free maternity home at the foundation's main office in Karachi. She also helped organize the adoption of abandoned babies.
On 25 June 2013, Edhi went to the hospital because his kidneys were failing. He needed dialysis for the rest of his life unless he found a kidney donor. His son Faisal Edhi, his wife Bilquis Edhi, and his daughters managed the organization's daily work during his illness. They continue to do so after his death.
He passed away on 8 July 2016, at 88 years old. This was due to complete kidney failure. One of his last wishes was to donate his organs to those in need. However, because of his poor health, only his corneas could be used. He was buried at Edhi Village in Karachi.
Public Reaction and Funeral
Many important Pakistani officials shared their sadness after his death. The Prime Minister at the time, Nawaz Sharif, said: "We have lost a great servant of humanity. He truly showed love for those who were vulnerable, poor, and helpless." The Chief of Army Staff, Raheel Sharif, called him a "true humanitarian." India Today called him Pakistan's version of Mother Teresa in 1990. The BBC wrote that he was seen as "Pakistan's most respected figure and was considered by some as a saint."
Prime Minister Sharif declared a day of national mourning after Edhi's death. He also announced a state funeral for him. Edhi became only the third person in Pakistan's history to receive a state gun carriage funeral. The others were Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Zia-ul-Haq. He was the only Pakistani without a state job or role to receive such a funeral. The military gave Edhi state honors, including a guard of honor and a 19-gun salute. Many important people attended his Islamic funeral prayer. These included the President of Pakistan, the Chairman of the Senate, and the Chief Ministers of Sindh and Punjab.
Edhi's Legacy
On 8 July 2016, Pakistan Post released a special postage stamp to remember Edhi. In July 2016, the Defence Housing Authority decided to rename a 5-kilometer-long road in Clifton Beach, Karachi as 'Abdul Sattar Edhi Avenue'. On 28 February 2017, Google celebrated Edhi with a Google Doodle. It praised his "super-efficient" ambulance service.
On 31 March 2017, a special coin was made to honor Edhi. This was suggested by the State Bank of Pakistan to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Edhi became the only social worker and the fifth Pakistani person to be honored with a special coin. On 8 July 2021, a statue of Edhi was placed at Hockey Chowk, Quetta.
Honours and Awards
International Awards
- Ramon Magsaysay Award for Public Service (1986)
- Lenin Peace Prize (1988)
- Paul Harris Fellow from Rotary International (1993)
- Peace Prize from the former USSR (1988)
- Hamdan Award for volunteers in Humanitarian Medical Services (2000), UAE
- International Balzan Prize (2000) for Humanity, Peace and Brotherhood, Italy
- Peace and Harmony Award (2001), Delhi
- Peace Award (2004), Mumbai
- Peace Award (2005), Hyderabad, India
- Gandhi Peace Award (2007), Delhi
- Seoul Peace Prize (2008), Seoul
- Honorary doctorate from the Institute of Business Administration, Karachi (2006)
- UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize (2009)
- Ahmadiyya Muslim Peace Prize (2010)
- Honorary Doctorate by the University of Bedfordshire (2010)
- London Peace Award (2011), London
National Awards
- Silver Jubilee Shield by College of Physicians and Surgeons (1962–1987)
- Moiz ur Rehman Award (2015)
- The Social Worker of Sub-Continent by Government of Sindh (1989)
- Nishan-e-Imtiaz, a high civil award from the Government of Pakistan (1989)
- Recognition of great services to suffering humanity by Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Government of Pakistan (1989)
- Pakistan Civic Award from the Pakistan Civic Society (1992)
- Jinnah Award for Outstanding Services to Pakistan (1998)
- Shield of Honor by Pakistan Army (E & C)
- Khidmat Award by the Pakistan Academy of Medical Sciences
- Bacha Khan Aman (Peace) Award (1991)
- Human Rights Award by Pakistan Human Rights Society
- 2013 Person of the Year by the readers of The Express Tribune
Proposals for Honors
In 2011, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani suggested Edhi for a Nobel Peace Prize nomination. In early 2016, a petition signed by 30,000 people asked for a Nobel Peace Prize for Edhi. This petition was started by Ziauddin Yousafzai, the father of Malala Yousafzai. Malala herself said that as a Nobel Peace Prize winner, she had nominated Abdul Sattar Edhi for the prize.
Najam Sethi, a member of the Pakistan Cricket Board, suggested renaming Gaddafi Stadium after Edhi.
See Also
In Spanish: Abdul Sattar Edhi para niños
- Ansar Burney
- Ramzan Chhipa
- Sardar Kaure Khan Jatoi
- Saylani Welfare Trust
- List of philanthropists
- Ruth Pfau
- Adeebul Hasan Rizvi
- Hakim Said
- These Birds Walk, a 2013 documentary following a pair of boys taken in by Edhi's foundation
