Friday, July 8, 2016

ABDUS SATTAR EDHI (1928 - 2016) WAS A SAINT WHO WALKED THE EARTH

Pakistan’s Abdul Sattar Edhi “heartbroken” after robbery
(photo courtesy www.5pillarz.com)


He was a hero to Pakistan’s poor and needy -Washington Post

He was a real gem and an asset for Pakistan -  Hindustan Times

Renowned Pakistani philanthropist, who dedicated his life to the poor - BBC

Philanthropist dedicated his life to humanity & social services - The Indian Express  
 
Activist worked altruistically, rising above religious prejudices. Duetsche Welle

Edhi created a charitable empire out of nothing, masterminding Pakistan’s largest welfare organization - Dawn, Karachi

Abdus Sattar Edhi (1928-2016) was one of the greatest human being that walked this earth. He dedicated his entire life to serve humanity. He was born in Bantva in the Gujarat State, when he was eleven, his mother became paralyzed from a stroke and she died when Edhi was 19. His personal experiences and care for his mother during her illness, caused him to develop a system of services for old, mentally ill and challenged people.

His family migrated to Pakistan and settled in Karachi, where he and his family dedicated their lives to serve humanity. Motivated by a spiritual quest for justice, over the years Edhi Foundation created maternity wards, morgues, orphanages, shelters, and homes for the elderly -- all aimed at helping those in society who cannot help themselves and picking up where limited government-run services fell short.  

To stop women with unwanted pregnancies to abandon new born babies, he put out a cot outside his centers and his mantra was 'don't kill, just leave the baby in the cot and we will care for it'. Thousands of lives of new born babies were saved in this manner. In the volatile city of Karachi which became a hotbed of crime and murder, Edhi would show up personally immediately after each terrorist attack or bomb blast to care for the injured and to bury the dead.  Edhi Foundation deployed 1,500 ambulances  which showed up with unusual efficiency to the scene of terrorist attacks that tear through Pakistan with devastating regularity.

Edhi resolved to dedicate his life to aiding the poor, and over sixty years single handedly changed the face of welfare in Pakistan. Edhi founded the Edhi Foundation, with an initial sum of a five thousand rupees. Regarded as a guardian for the poor, Edhi began receiving numerous donations, which allowed him to expand his services. To this day, the Edhi Foundation continues to grow in both size and service, and is currently the largest welfare organization in Pakistan. Since its inception, the Edhi Foundation has rescued over 20,000 abandoned infants, rehabilitated over 50,000 orphans and has trained over 40,000 nurses. It also runs more than 330 welfare centers in rural and urban Pakistan which operate as food kitchens, rehabilitation homes, shelters for abandoned women and children and clinics for the mentally handicapped.

Edhi is no more, but he will be revered and remembered forever.





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