Whenever we’re about to lose faith in humanity (which is something that’s depressingly easy to accomplish – all you need to do is turn on the television), someone comes along to give us hope and prove that humans are indeed capable of greatness. From the man who spent decades struggling against apartheid and then forgave his persecutors, to the woman who dedicated her life to helping the destitute, there have been a handful of remarkable people who have strived to change the world we live in and made sure they left it a better place.
And we are blessed that one of these incredible figures was our very own champion of the poor, Abdul Sattar Edhi.
From his humble beginnings to his efforts in creating the country’s biggest welfare organization, the world’s greatest humanitarian defied the odds and spent decades helping reshape Pakistan. Even though he is no longer with us, his work will continue helping countless people for generations to come. And we must make sure that we continue to follow in his footsteps and fulfil the directive he left us in his last words: “meray mulk kae ghareeboun ka khayal rakhna”.
Edhi sahab’s kindness, compassion, and humbleness were all remarkable, and his love for everyone – irrespective of their status, cast, creed, or colour – was truly inspirational. He didn’t need an award to validate his accomplishments; his contributions to our society are emphatically visible and speak for themselves.
The most inspiring thing for me (as a friend of all the neighbourhood strays and a crazy cat lady in the making) was that the Edhi Foundation didn’t only undertake the monumental task of helping people – through services that include ambulances, shelters, orphanages, nursing homes and rehabilitation centres – but also provided sanctuary to animals and made sure that our distressed furry and feathered buddies had somewhere to go.
