"Saints in Pakistan" - feature article in Ode Magazine
Abdul Sattar & Bilquis Edhi, who are often praised as Muslim equivalents of Mother Teresa, run the world's largest volunteer organization.
Fuelled by a fierce conviction that the only way out of poverty is through self-help, Edhi has created a network of social services which is funded entirely by donations, and exists without logistical or monetary help from the government. In Karachi alone, a sprawling city of fifteen million, Edhi Foundation clinics care for thousands of people every day.
In a country where only three percent of GDP is spent on public health (fifteen percent is the norm in the West), Edhi is looked upon as a national hero. Comparisons with Mother Teresa abound, yet Pakistanis proudly point out that Edhi is a native son, that he doesn't proselytize, and that his doors are open to everyone.
Written and photographed by Jay Dunn http://www.jaydunn.org
Project supported and published by Ode Magazine.
Read the complete article on their web site at http://bit.ly/yZ17RN
For a slideshow highlighting the Edhi's humanitarian efforts, visit http://bit.ly/Av5Of6
Abdul Sattar & Bilquis Edhi, who are often praised as Muslim equivalents of Mother Teresa, run the world's largest volunteer organization.
Fuelled by a fierce conviction that the only way out of poverty is through self-help, Edhi has created a network of social services which is funded entirely by donations, and exists without logistical or monetary help from the government. In Karachi alone, a sprawling city of fifteen million, Edhi Foundation clinics care for thousands of people every day.
In a country where only three percent of GDP is spent on public health (fifteen percent is the norm in the West), Edhi is looked upon as a national hero. Comparisons with Mother Teresa abound, yet Pakistanis proudly point out that Edhi is a native son, that he doesn't proselytize, and that his doors are open to everyone.
Written and photographed by Jay Dunn http://www.jaydunn.org
Project supported and published by Ode Magazine.
Read the complete article on their web site at http://bit.ly/yZ17RN
For a slideshow highlighting the Edhi's humanitarian efforts, visit http://bit.ly/Av5Of6
