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- The Edhi Foundation (Urdu: ایدھی فاؤنڈیشن) is a non-profit social welfare organization based in Pakistan. It was founded by Abdul Sattar Edhi in 1951, who served as the head of the organization until his death on 8 July 2016. Bilquis Edhi, a nurse by profession, used to oversee the maternity and adoption services of the foundation. The Edhi Foundation is headquartered in the city of Karachi. The Edhi Foundation provides 24-hour emergency assistance across the entirety of Pakistan and internationally. The foundation provides, among many other services, shelter for the destitute, hospitals and medical care, drug rehabilitation services, and national and international relief efforts. The organization's main focuses are emergency services, orphans, handicapped persons, women's shelters, education, healthcare, international community centres, refugees, missing persons, blood donation & drug rehabilitation banks, air ambulance services and marine and coastal services. The organization is known to serve those in need regardless of race, religious affiliation, and social status, and runs entirely on donations and volunteer efforts. While the Edhi Foundation's primary focus is in Pakistan as well as the rest of South Asia, it has an extensive presence throughout the Middle East and Africa. However, it has also provided financial and supplementary aid to countries in Europe and the Americas in the event of natural disasters (such as Hurricane Katrina in 2005) or other issues. As of 2020, the Edhi Foundation has international head offices present in the United States, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Canada, Australia, Nepal, India, Bangladesh, and Japan. (en)
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