Abdul Sattar Edhi

Philanthropist, humanitarian

January 1, 1928 Bantva, Gujarat, India

July 8, 2016 Karachi, Pakistan

Bilquis Edhi

Abdul Sattar Edhi was a legendary Pakistani philanthropist and humanitarian who founded the Edhi Foundation which operates hospitals, orphanages, homeless shelters and rehab centers all over Pakistan. One of the country’s most respected figures, he is known as “Angel of Mercy” for his selfless service to the abandoned, sick, destitute and the ostracized. He was helped in his life’s work by his wife, Bilquis Edhi, a nurse committed to the same humanitarian values as her husband. Born in India in the late 1920s, he was raised to be compassionate towards the less privileged. He spent his teenage years caring for his paralyzed and mentally ill mother which furthered his passion to do something for the sick. Forced to move to Pakistan as a young man after the partition of India, he witnessed the horrors of war and the massive human sufferings that followed. Moved by the widespread pain and misery around him, he set about laying the foundations for what would one day become the Edhi Foundation. Having begun his charitable work singlehandedly, he soon met some kindred spirits who helped him in establishing hospitals and orphanages across the nation. An austere and open-minded individual, he promoted religious tolerance and advocated for the rights of women to work outside their homes.