Abdul Sattar Edhi

Abdul Sattar Edhi

Abdul Sattar Edhi Google Doodle

Abdul Sattar Edhi

Abdul Sattar Edhi’s 89th birthday

Abdul Sattar Edhi was a Pakistani philanthropist, ascetic, and humanitarian who founded the Edhi Foundation which runs hospitals, homeless shelters, rehab centres, and orphanages across Pakistan.

Born: 1 January 1928, Bantva, India

Died: 8 July 2016, Karachi, Pakistan

Spouse: Bilquis Edhi (m. 1966–2016)

Buried: 9 July 2016

Awards: Lenin Peace Prize

Children: Faisal Edhi, Kubra Edhi, Kutub Edhi, Almas Edhi

He was born in Bantva in the Gujarat, British India into a Memon family. His mother would give him 1 paisa for his meals and another to give to a beggar. When he was eleven, his mother became paralysed 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. The partition of India led Edhi and his family to migrate to Pakistan in 1947.He then shifted to Karachi to work in a market at a wholesale shop. He initially started as a peddler, and later became a commission agent selling cloth in the wholesale market in Karachi. After a few years, he established a free dispensary with help from his community.

He told NPR in 2009 that "I saw people lying on the pavement ... The flu had spread in Karachi, and there was no one to treat them. So I set up benches and got medical students to volunteer. I was penniless and begged for donations on the street. And people gave. I bought this 8-by-8 room to start my work."

Today's Doodle honors Abdul Sattar Edhi, who was born on this date in 1928. Edhi, known as the "Angel of Mercy" of Pakistan, was an award-winning philanthropist and humanitarian.

Edhi was born in India but moved to Karachi shortly after Pakistan was formed. He soon noticed that many Pakistanis lacked medicine, education, and other essentials, and he made it his life's mission to help others. In 1951, he established the Edhi foundation, which is funded solely by private donations.

The Edhi foundation has helped thousands of people around the world in times of need, including survivors of Hurricane Katrina and thousands of Pakistani orphans. The foundation provides super-efficient ambulance service, and Edhi ambulances are welcomed as friendly neighbors throughout Pakistan. In celebration of Abdul Sattar Edhi, let's all lend a hand to someone in need today.