The man who changed Pakistan summarizes the life and accomplishments of Abdul Sattar Edhi, a renowned Pakistani humanitarian. Edhi was born in India in 1928 and migrated to Pakistan after partition in 1947. He established the Edhi Foundation, which runs the world's largest ambulance service and operates numerous social welfare programs across Pakistan. The Foundation has also provided relief efforts internationally. Edhi received widespread recognition and numerous humanitarian awards for his charitable work helping millions of people over several decades.

1. The man who changed Pakistan

2. Edhi was born in 1928 in Bantva in the Gujarat, India.
When he was eleven, his mother became paralyzed and later grew
mentally ill and died when he was 19. His personal experiences caused
him to develop a system of services for old, mentally ill and challenged
people.
Edhi and his family migrated to Pakistan in 1947. He initially started as
a peddler, later became a commission agent selling cloth in the
wholesale market in Karachi. After a few years, he established a free
dispensary with the help from his community. He later established a
welfare trust, "Edhi Trust".
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 organizes the adoption of illegitimate and abandoned
babies.

3. Edhi Foundation runs the world's largest ambulance service
and operates free nursing homes, orphanages, clinics,
women's shelters, and rehab centers for drug addicts and
mentally ill individuals.
It has run relief operations in Africa, Middle East, the
Caucasus region, eastern Europe and US where it provided
aid following the New Orleans hurricane of 2005.
In November 2011, Edhi was recommended for a Nobel Peace
prize by the Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani.

4. In the early 1980’s he was arrested by
Israeli troops while entering Lebanon.
In 2006, he was detained in Toronto,
Canada, for 16 hours.
In January 2008, US immigration officials
interrogated Edhi at the John F. Kennedy
Airport in New York for over eight hours,
and seized his passport and other
documents.
When asked about the frequent
detention, Edhi said "The only
explanation I can think of is my beard and
my dress." In January 2009, Edhi was
refused entry to Gaza by Egyptian
authorities.

5. Ramon Magsaysay Award for Public Service
Lenin Peace Prize
Largest Voluntary Ambulance Organization of the World
Hamdan Award for volunteers in Humanitarian Medical Services
International Balzan Prize for Humanity, Peace and Brotherhood
Honorary Doctorate degree from the Institute of Business Administration Karachi
UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize
Ahmadiyya Muslim Peace Prize
Silver Jubilee Shield by College of Physicians and Surgeons, Pakistan,
The Social Worker of Sub-Continent by Government of Sind, Pakistan
Nishan-e-Imtiaz, civil decoration from Government of Pakistan
Pakistan Civic Award from the Pakistan Civic Society
Shield of Honor by Pakistan Army
Khidmat Award by Pakistan Academy of Medical Sciences
Human Rights Award by Pakistan Human Rights Society

7. Make the
world a better
place…