A Non-Profit Organization the Edhi Foundation - Assignment Example

Registered Charity: The Edhi Foundation Abdul Sattar Edhi founded a non-profit organization in 1951 called the Edhi Foundation. It is called the Bilqis Edhi Trust and it was begun with just Rs. 5000 and one room and one man running the entire show. And is now the biggest organization in Pakistan that deals with welfare of the society. It was the beginning of its kind of societies and so it already had a competitive edge in the market place as the only one of its kind. (Foundation, 2012) It has now more than 300 locations all over the country, not just in accessible cities but also far flung rural areas and it provides all kinds of facilities from medical aid and emergencies to family planning. The Edhi Foundation also has air ambulances so that they can reach faster to remote areas. Its headquarters are in Karachi, Pakistan and in Karachi alone it has eight hospitals that provide free medicinal care, cater to diabetes patients, eye hospitals, a cancer hospital etc. There are also two blood banks managed by the Edhi Foundation in Karachi. Many lives have been saved by their services, be it babies, orphans, mothers, the elderly. (Foundation, 2012) Edhi and his wife Bilquis have been like what water is to a parched land and they have spent their entire lives working for the welfare of the needy in Pakistan and abroad and they continue to do so. They function in eleven places outside Pakistan and are perhaps the only charitable organization that has gone international in Pakistan. They are totally committed to the people; fame and publicity have never attracted them and they prefer to just be dedicated to a lifetime of work and betterment of the society. (Magnier, 2011) Abdul Sattar Edhi, the founder of this society was brought up in a way that inculcated kindness as a part of everything in him. His mother brought him up with strong morals and he saw the impoverished life of the poor and sought to help them. He started with his one can called the “poor man’s van” and lead up to what his society is today: claiming bodies, burying them, rescuing people from any ailment he possibly could. Since he started, his ambulances have been all over Karachi, in good times and bad equally. He has been truly there for the people, which is why his organization again has a competitive advantage over others. Apart from always being there, they were the first South Asian Foundation to own air ambulances. There are 3,500 workers and many volunteers who help make it the best organization possible for the people. (Foundation, 2012) And despite all the fame he could have gotten, Edhi remains as humble as he was the day he started his charitable work. His work is not a publicity stunt but his soul comes across in his work. And another unique feature about him is that, he is always present, during every tragedy to his people. He does not feel that picking his people up himself is demeaning in any way, no matter what class they belong to. He is not only a moral man, but also a religious one, remembering God in everything He does. And he believes that charity and humanitarian rights come first. Other than that, the Foundation even has the legality issues covered because it has a Legal Department which has not only been able to provide services for free to prisoners but has also managed to free numerous innocent prisoners. Essentials are also provided to them in their cells. Apart from that, there are homes called “Apna Ghars” which provide a place for children who need a home. And the Edhi network not only takes care of them, but in the case of children who have lost their families, they have even connected them back to their families through their massive and brilliant network. Apart from helping the people, this foundation also helps people get educated. So apart from teaching them how to read and write, they also cover areas like driving, medical training etc. So that people in the future can stand on their own two feet. It has even helped refugees over the years since it began such as UK, Canada, and USA etc. It has helped victims of earthquakes and floods also Not only that, Edhi has had a vision for his organization and that vision has remained the same and allowed the organization to flourish. Everyone is to be trained and educated, and assistance should be available 24 hours a day. And he wanted something substantial that would continue even after he was long gone. So that his country was a better place to live in, and where the needy and poor were catered to. Basically he wanted Pakistan to be a welfare state and he has been working in his life to achieve this. Also, because Edhi did not want the government to dabble into their organization’s matters, he does not take any funds from the Government. (Foundation, 2012) Weaknesses of the foundation come from the fact that it is in a developing country and we face scanty resources and rising costs. Developed countries look to their governments but developing countries cannot do so and try to stand on their own feet and then look for foreign input. Even though the organization tries its best to cater to the needs of the people, however for every plan of action and for every resource, some amount of input is required. But its opportunities lie in the fact that its focus is such that it has broken all boundaries and it has actually fostered that feeling in people to help and be helped. Edhi is a man who believes that human beings should be helped regardless of their caste or their creed and this has helped win over millions of hearts. And it is based on a future society filled with hope, and what miracles people can achieve with their dedication, no matter how dire their circumstances are. And lastly, that people should learn to help themselves, in a society where such a concept is hardly there, this organization has given root to this cause. (apnawatan, n.d.) This organization also has some major strengths which lie in its innovative approaches to the welfare society such as an open mind in solving long lasting problems, unconventional ways to help people, simpler ways to help people, and a fast “action based” system to help them. Apart from that, the variety of services it offers and its level of activity distinguish it from other societies in the region. It also is not dependent on the government like most organizations which saves it some burden and also it functions on a few donations from willful people and private organizations. New ways of helping people include their “jhoola” service where children who are not wanted are dropped off and even though it may be viewed wrong from a religious point of view, it actually helps many children every day to get some shelter and food and prevents them from dying. And they even keep their costs low by allowing more workers who just want to help rather than employees along with temporary locations rather than centers everywhere. Also the leadership style is very motivational so the workforce doesn’t need much else to build up on than their goodwill. The leadership style is also very efficient. Majority of the funds go to the needy, and Edhi and his wife get a very nominal amount. Also there is close control on the money received and spent along with a strong communication network and circles in which people always stay connected and can always help and be helped. (apnawatan, n.d.) The communication network not only includes telephone and radio links but also the “control tower” which is a merger of the government and the foundation by which updates about the emergencies in the community are communicated. This is also one of the unique features of a welfare system in a developing country. There is also a facility to dial in case of emergency and the person who has dialed can get automatic access to help in all the major cities of Pakistan. The Edhi Foundation also has zonal facilities. It has a “Welfare Journal” in New York which is published monthly and also another one in Karachi which covers all the major activities that the Foundation does. The organization is also updated and modernized in the sense that there are computers at every major center that give back information to the media and other network channels. The major zones where information is circulated are divided into more categories called “circles”. Heads look after their designated area, so the organization of the Foundation is impeccable and very tightly knit and impenetrable. Competitors would look to this foundation as an example to follow and to obtain funds they should actually try to better themselves as compared to this organization because this is primarily run by Edhi and if other organizations can focus less on a one man show, maybe they can flourish beyond Edhi’s foundation Despite the massive mishap in our community of bills spent and exchange and received, this process in Edhi’s foundation is flawless and a record of each transaction is made and kept for future use. (apnawatan, n.d.) For the long run, this foundation will continue to flourish in the market place if it continues the way it has, and will attract more people concerned about the welfare of society and those wanting to give back to society. Since the concept of giving back to society has arisen, this will benefit the foundation due to its great network. However, it will also spur other organizations to set up similar schemes to help people, and hopefully it will turn into a nourishing culture rather than a battle of who will help who and who will appear in the limelight because that is also a possibility. However, as Edhi Foundation continues to touch all corners of the world, be it urban or rural, it also has some rave reviews and feedback from people it has helped, thus building up on its credibility, which has already increased its economies of scale since they have been in the market for a long time now. An old lady by the name of Ms. Qureshi commended Edhi’s shelter for women. It is painful in our society, and we see a rising trend of people leaving their old loved ones in shelters where they are not even sure they will be well taken care of, and they never even contact them again, sometimes even giving the wrong number or address so they cannot be contacted. And so these shelters will become and even more important part of our community as the years go by and people are either too busy or too callous. Ms. Qureshi talks about how people need to be heard, even as they grow old, they need care and company, and nobody gives them that. And Edhi’s shelter has provided her with a comfortable life and place and she is content. As the age becomes more and more materialistic, people like Edhi and Foundations like his will need to become rampant to cater for the growing number of needy people. (Ilyas, 2011). So even though there are other charities like Imran Khan Relief Fund, they are working on a much smaller scale and on a short term scale as well. The poor and the needy, be it the drug abusers, or the mothers, or the babies, and especially those ravaged by disasters need a great deal of help on numerous levels. Not only do they need financial support and shelter, but they need emotional support, medical aid, livelihoods, support groups, food, clothes and the Foundation has been there for them in every way. And if they continue to do what they have been doing, Edhi will be a man with a million prayers. Bibliography apnawatan, n.d. [Online] Available at: www.apnawatan.20m.com [Accessed 3 February 2012]. Foundation, E., 2012. Edhi Foundation. [Online] Available at: www.edhifoundation.com Ilyas, F., 2011. No regrets about living at Edhi home: Qureshi. Dawn Metropolitan. Magnier, M., 2011. In troubled Pakistan, a humanitarian light shines through. Los Angeles Times. Read More