Even at this early age, he felt personally responsible for taking on the challenge of developing a system of services to reduce human miseries. The task was huge he had no resources. But it was some thing that he had to do even if he had to walk to the streets if he had to beg for this purpose.
Edhi and his family migrated to Pakistan in 1947. In order to earn his living, Abdul Sattar Edhi initially started as a peddler, later became a commission agent selling cloth in the wholesale market in Karachi.

After a couple of years, he left this occupation and with the support of some members of his community decided to establish a free dispensary. He became involved in this charity work. However, soon his personal vision of a growing and developing system of multifarious services made him decide to establish a welfare trust of his own and named it as "Edhi Trust".

An appeal was made to the public for funds. The response was good, and Rs.200,000/- were raised. The range and scope of work of Edhi Trust expanded with remarkable speed under the driving spirit of the man behind it. A maternity home was established and emergency ambulance service was started in the sprawling metropolis of Karachi with a population of over 10 million.
More donations were received as people's confidence in the activities of the Trust grew. With the passage of time, masses gave him the title of the" Angel of Mercy."
Abdul Sattar Edhi was married in 1965 to Bilquis, a nurse who worked at the Edhi dispensary. The couple have four children, two daughters and two sons. Bilquis runs the free maternity home at the headquarter in Karachi and organises the adoption of illegitimate and abandoned babies. The husband-wife team has come to share the common vision of single minded devotion to the cause of alleviation of human sufferings and a sense of personal responsibility to respond to each call for help, regardless of race, creed or status.

Edhi Foundation

Edhi Foundation has been successful in developing a model of welfare services in a large number of areas where the Foundation supplements and supports the government system by mobilising community resources without burdening the public exchequer.
In actual practice, the organisational set-up of the Foundation has been constantly in the process of shaping itself to suit the requirements of its ever expanding network of services.

SERVICES

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.

FIELD AMBULANCE SERVICES

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.

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).

JHOOLAS (BABY CRADLES)

At most of the emergency Edhi Centres, "Jhoolas" (baby cradles) are installed where unwanted infants can be left. These abandoned babies are then taken into custody and given shelter in Edhi Homes.
Now people even come forward to hand over the babies themselves to officials at the Edhi Centres. Such infants are thereafter given in the care of suitable deserving families not having children of their own, for adoption. Mrs. Bilquis Edhi, the head of this service through a centralised system checks the credentials of the adopting parents and conducts a regular follow-up.

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.
These Warehouses deliver items to refugee camps, at the site of any natural calamity, riots, fires and accidents, etc.

BLOOD AND DRUG BANKS

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.

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.