Who was Sir EDHI? Every detail about EDHI Foundation.

1. EDHI
FOUNDATION

2. INTRODUCTION
The Edhi Foundation is a non-profit social welfare program in
Pakistan, founded by Abdul Sattar Edhi. Its headquarters are in
Karachi, pakistan. Edhi strongly believes in protecting basic
human rights without any discrimination of color, caste, and
creed. My religion is “service for humanity” that is spanned over
56 years, thus our efforts and services are greatly liked and
commended by all schools of thought, across Pakistan and many
parts of the world.

3. WELFARE CENTRES
The Welfare Centres of the Foundation are located in all the big cities and
towns of Pakistan. The prime function of these centres is to extend all
services of the Foundation to the needy persons at their door-steps. Plans are
under way to extend their numbers. Once these centres come into operation,
ninety percent of Pakistan’s population is expected to be covered by the
Foundation’s activities. These welfare centres act as "Service Counters" for
the need of the suffering masses. They are constantly engaged in multifarious
activities directly or indirectly benefiting the local community

4. AMBULANCE SERVICE
Edhi Land Ambulance Service was initially started by including a second hand Hillman
Pickup Truck and that was refurbished into the first ambulance, thereby coining “Poor
Patient Ambulance”. Now sixty years after, the Edhi ambulance has reached to the stage of
largest fleet of ambulances in the world, thereby providing with a tantalizing number of
ambulances such as 1800 vehicles, all over Pakistan. Thousands of persons are disabled or
killed in minor or major road accidents throughout Pakistan. After any major accident, the
seriously injured persons lie on the site for several hours waiting for shifting to the nearest
hospital. Often, delay and apathy cause loss of valuable lives, leaving many others injured,
crippled and handicapped. Edhi Foundation has raised the largest single fleet of
Ambulances in the country with an un-paralleled record of quick response for the affectees
of any disaster. Its nation-wide network equipped with the latest communication system
now covers the remotest areas of Pakistan.

5. CHILD ADOPTION
CENTRE & CHILDCARE
SERVICES
Mostly these abandoned new-born babies are provided to the childless
couples, who in accordance with their own policies, after ensuring that
they are fully deserved and exactly suitable for this noble cause. Bilquis
Edhi, after completely going through the background of the couples, and
undertaking a rigorous screening process she decides that the couple or
the family is precisely suitable for the baby adoption. On annual basis,
Edhi Foundation is giving over 250 babies or children for adoption.

6. EDHI HOMES &
ORPHANAGE CENTRES
Edhi Foundation has set-up 18 homes all over Pakistan (seven homes are running at
Karachi). As a whole, 8500 younger boys and girls including elder ladies and gents have
been accommodated ,in 18 homes. Among them, are abandoned and orphan boys and
girls, mentally retarded and physical disabled, as well as for the shelter-less and helpless
male and female people are living in these exclusive Edhi homes. Besides, the tortured
women in the aftermath of domestic violence also reside there. Number of Edhi homes
which have been established at different cities of Pakistan are stated here as—Karachi 7,
Multan 1, Lahore 3, Islamabad 1, Peshawar 1, Quetta 1, and Chitral 1. The residents in
the Edhi homes are numbered at 8500.

7. EDUCATIONAL SERVICES
Karachi Bilquis Edhi elementary and primary secondary schools are operating at
Karachi, in the areas of, Old Sabzi Mandi, Noor Shah Colony Mirphur Khaas and
Masjid Road Nawabshah. In these remoter areas of Sindh, the students studying
at these Edhi homes are giving basic education.

8. INTERNATIONAL
ACTIVITIES
The work of Edhi Foundation has extended beyond Pakistan. Currently, branches of
Edhi International Foundation are providing regular services in New York, Ontario,
Dacca, Tokyo, Sydney, London, Dubai, while preliminary work for establishing branches
in Afghanistan, India, Sri Lanka, Yemen and Russia has been completed. These
International Community Centres look after the welfare of Asians abroad.
Their activities include: Burial of dead bodies, financial and moral support to the needy
people visiting foreign countries for medical treatment, assistance in restoring lost and
runaway children to their families, co-ordination and distribution of relief aid outside
Pakistan, and drug abuse rehabilitation service.

9. DESTITUTE HOMES
Edhi Home also called as" Apna Ghar" ( our home), is a home for the mentally ill
destitute, for orphans and runaways. There are 13 such homes in the country out of
which seven are in Karachi. About six thousand persons live in Edhi Homes. A
destitute or homeless becomes a member of Edhi’s family once he enters its
premises. All boarding, lodging, clothing, and logistic arrangements are entirely
free.If a person dies within these homes, the burial arrangements are made by the
Foundation according to the religious rites of the deceased (Muslim, Hindu, Sikh,
Christian, or any other religion).

10. HIGH-WAYS PROJECT ( 25
KILOMETER)
Under this project, it is planned to construct five hundred Edhi Centres in
order to cover a sizeable population on all highways and major link-roads
of Pakistan in a properly phased fashion. The existing centres provide first
aid to accident victims and arrange for their speedy transfer to the nearby
hospitals. More-over, these centres are being used for providing medical
facilities in rural and semi-urban areas. Also they provide ambulance
service at nominal charges, facility for vaccinating new-born babies and
children against diseases, and other welfare services. The dispensary and
mobile dispensary at each centre cater for medical assistance to
approximately two hundred and fifty patients daily.

11. WARE HOUSES
Voluntary contributions in kind, which include clothing, edibles, medicines,
dry rations are received throughout Edhi Centre’s network. Through voluntary
contributions from Pakistan and abroad, Warehouses were established in big
cities like Karachi, Islamabad, and Multan. Five of these Warehouses are kept
ready round the clock with provision of tents, dry rations, bedding, blankets,
baby milk powder, utensils, etc., to move into action immediately in times of
emergencies.

12. MARINE AND COASTAL
SERVICES
Having developed the nation-wide network of ground ambulances supported by
Air ambulance, Edhi Foundation has set up a separate establishment to extend its
services in coastal areas as well.
 Edhi Marine service caters for the following:
 Recovering dead bodies in cases of drowning through properly framed divers.
 Air-dropping of food to the entrapped ships at Arabian Coast.
 Establishment of watch towers with provision of life jackets and inflatable
 Rescue services in rivers, lakes and dams of the country.
 Advanced warning signals for tourists in coastal areas

13. BLOOD AND DRUG BANKS
Provision of blood in order to save human lives remains an essential element of
emergency services. In major accidents, natural calamities and bomb blasts, etc.,
blood is supplied to the needy on an emergency basis. All welfare centres of major
cities in Pakistan regularly keep an updated list of donors of all blood groups and
conduct campaigns for enlisting more donors for collection of blood. Blood is
pooled in hospitals from the volunteer donors and is provided free of cost in cases
of heart surgeries and other major operations to poor patients. Two Blood Banks,
one at Karachi and the other at Mirpur, have proper facilities for storing and
screening blood, from where hundred of pints of screened blood is being regularly
dispensed to the government hospitals.

14. CANCER RESEARCH
HOSTEL, KARACHI
During 1980, realising the needs of poor cancer patients in the city who were pouring in
from up-country the Foundation developed a separate project for the establishment of a
cancer hostel near Agha Khan Hospital, Karachi. Suitable premises have been purchased to
house 50 cancer Patients with treatment facilities. This Centre acts as an extension bay of
Radiotherapy and Oncology Department of Jinnah Post-Graduate Medical Centre, and
provides terminal care and treatment to poor cancer patients of both sexes of all ages with
indoor and outdoor facilities. The radio-therapy and diagnostic oncology is taken care by
the experts of Jinnah Post-Graduate Medical Centre, while all other remaining medical
facilities are provided within the Cancer Research Hostel. Plans are under way to extend
this facility with an additional one hundred and fifty beds at Karachi. Poor patients who can
not bear their travel expenses are provided railway tickets making it easier for them to reach
the cancer hostel.

15. MISSING PERSONS
SERVICE
Because of social problems a large number of children leave their homes or get
separated from their families during emergencies. Similarly, mentally handicapped
people who can’t get back to their homes, wander around the streets. Edhi
Foundation either uses its own wireless network, state radio and T.V. channels or
arranges local announcements, advertisements in the press, and thereby manages to
return thousands of such people to their homes. Similarly, unidentified dead bodies
are kept in cold mortuaries and all efforts are made to identify the next of kin. This
service is also available to Pakistanis living abroad and is being co-ordinated through
Pakistan Embassies or offices of the Foundation abroad.

16. EDHI HOMES FOR
SHELTER OF ANIMALS
Edhi Homes were originally meant to provide services to the distressed and ailing
destitute. Soon, however, animals that were cruelly treated by their owners and had
become lame or crippled or badly wounded, started ending up in Edhi Centres. These
also include missing animals and unwanted house pets which have no other place to
go except Edhi shelters. In view of the increasing number of such animals, Edhi
Foundation established a separate treatment unit which has now grown up into a
small zoo. Veterinary doctors look after these animals along with other volunteer
staff at Super Highway, Karachi. In addition, another similar facility is established at
Korangi, Karachi. These animals include peacocks, owls, deers, monkeys, horses,
mules, cats, and a number of domestic birds.

17. GRAVE YARD SERVICES
Edhi Foundation has the largest net-work for the burial of unclaimed and burials of dead
bodies in Pakistan. Separate grave yards are established in cities like Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi
and New York. Mr. Edhi, perhaps, holds the world record for giving the last prescribed bath
(Ghusal) with his own hands to about 20,000 unclaimed dead bodies and for arranging their
burial. Metropolitan Corporations of all big cities in Pakistan like Karachi, Lahore and
Rawalpindi have made annual contracts with Edhi Foundation for burial of unidentified dead
bodies recovered from drowning, homicides, and accidents. Coffin cloth and coffin boxes are
provided free of cost to those families who cannot afford or manage burial rites themselves.
Non-Muslims are provided services according to their own religious rites with the assistance of
a church or local temple. In addition to the above, large air conditioned cold mortuaries have
been established at Karachi to keep unidentified bodies for a couple of days, and perform burial
rites if the next of kin is not traceable.Edhi grave yard services also provide facilities for burial
and transportation of dead bodies from overseas.

18. EDHI EMERGENCY POSTS
Edhi Emergency Posts have been established at National and Provincial Capitals including
Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar and Multan. The aims these posts are
to:
 Reach the site of emergency within minutes
 Launch mass campaign against social evils like Narcotics, Aids, and awareness for
Diarrhoea, Immunisation and Family Planning programmes etc.
 Provide routine emergency coverage to public gatherings and procession
 Act as a focal point for civil defence in time of need.
 Provide guidance to the passers-by in locating their required address.
 Assist illiterate people for filling in different forms pertaining to Banking and Identity
Cards etc. and help them in letter-writing.

19. PRISONERS AID
Following services besides legal aid are provided by Edhi Foundation to prisoners in
different jails and remand homes
 Food supplies. (Borstal and Central Jails)
 Medical Facilities. (Karachi Central Jail)
 Gifts (on national events) on yearly basis.
 Distribution of books and stationery.
 Recreation. (sports, TV, etc.)
 Provision of items of daily use like wall clocks, articles of clothing and blankets, etc.
 Ambulance services.
 Securities and bonds for release of prisoners involved in minor crimes.

20. REFUGEES ASSISTANCE
Edhi Foundation has been providing services to the refugees of
different countries forced to take shelter in Pakistan. Refugees
belonging to the following countries are among the beneficiaries:
1. Afghanistan 2. Kashmir 3. Bosnia 4. Iraq 5. Burma 6.
Nepal 7.Bangladesh 8. Somalia 9. Uganda

21. COLLABORATION WITH
OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
 Besides running its own fleet of ambulances, Edhi Foundation has been supporting other
government institutions and non-governmental organisations in a variety of ways, keeping in
view the larger interest of the masses.
 A list of organisations receiving ambulances as donations from Edhi Foundation is given
below:-
 Ministry of Health, Sindh Ojha TB Sanatorium, Karachi.
 Civil Hospital, Hyderabad.
 TB. Centre, Kotri.
 Liaquat Medical Hospital,’Jamshoro.
 Trust for Destitute People, Hyderabad.
 Memon Hospital, Hyderabad.
 Government Hospital, Shikarpur

22. HONORARY &
VOLUNTARY SERVICES
 Edhi Foundation is being run entirely with the assistance of staff, who are
working on voluntarily basis and serving with the missionary spirit and zeal, for
the betterment of society and humanity. Thus, the best example of service that
needs to be followed on the precedent set forth by Edhi Foundation. These
voluntarily working people comprise on zonal heads, clerical staff at Edhi
centres, workers at all Edhi homes and maternity home. With its bigger fleet
size – 1,800 ambulances have proved the best source of job opportunity to 1800
drivers either.

23. DONATIONS
Edhi Foundation accepts donation from Rs.5 to above any figure
either in hundreds or thousands, or in millions, to extend assistance
for the social welfare activities of Edhi Foundation. Edhi Foundation
believes in getting donation from the general masses not from the rich
people, so all humanitarian based services are run on the funding of
general masses. Contribution can also be made in the form of
medicines, food, clothing, and animal hides either.

24. MANAGEMENT STYLE
Management and spending of funding for varied social welfare based divisions, is
controlled by Edhi with his son Faisal Edhi and daughter Kubra Edhi. Edhi, his
son Faisal and daughter Kubra Edhi are personally handling all finance related
operations of Edhi Foundation. They are also playing their role to collect the
national and international funding. Edhi very much prefers to drive ambulance to
shift the patients to the hospitals, get funding, and making surprise visits to check
various Edhi centres, across the country Pakistan and abroad.

25. CONCLUSION
Edhi Foundation—the largest organizational set-up running in multidimensional areas in Pakistan
modifies the catchphrase “Live and Let Live” by “Live and Help Live”, which means Edhi guides
others that whilst passing the life, don’t let to live with hardships and difficulties, yet extend your
every possible assistance to others, in case, any assistance is sought from you, to live with happiness
and ease.The largest organization with its biggest number of fleet, and bigger number of working
professionals, working round the clock has set the best examples, for other social service providers
to tread upon his footprint.The services which make the Edhi Foundation unique among all other
social welfare service providers, is its exemplary services in the areas of—such as providing free
shroud and burial services to unclaimed dead bodies, shelter for the disabled and destitute people,
orphans and abandoned children, provision of free hospitals and dispensaries in the highly
neglected areas, rehabilitation of drug addicts, and so on. Edhi Foundation has set many examples,
which can’t be traced by other NGOs and trusts actively serving in Pakistan that Edhi believes in
the principle of self help, thus he is running all his social welfare driven activities without getting
funding from any government or donor agency