Shaheer Ahmed
Last week was a week of sorrows for the people of Pakistan because we heard some very bad news; Bilquis Edhi, the wife of the late Abdul Sattar Edhi passed away. She was a woman who needs no introduction and years later – people will remember her for the commendable work that she has done. Since her death, people from all over Pakistan are coming up with stories of how Bilquis Edhi has helped them and given them homes.
Bilquis Edhi Passes Away – A Great Loss For Pakistani Nation
The following is the story of one such person.
A heartwarming tribute to Bilquis Edhi
Rabia B. O.
Senior Privacy & Compliance Analyst at Nike
Twenty-eight years ago I was abandoned in a baby carriage at the #EdhiOrphanage located in Karachi, Pakistan. You found me, you named me after your mother Rabia Bano, you forged my identity, then you gave me a home. Because of you today…I am a somebody, I have an identity, and I have loving parents to call my own. You fought for woman’s rights, you were an activist, a philanthropist, a rebel for the good cause. You taught me the power of woman, to always have an unwavering sense of self, and to be unapologetically ambitious.
Because of you, a little Pakistani girl orphaned at birth dared to dream. Because of you, I am an independent woman with graduate-level education and a place in the world to call my own. You gave me the opportunity. You awarded me a chance to dream, and you presented me with freedom.
To the world, you were Bilquis Edhi, but to me, you were Bari Amma (Elder mother). Thanks to you I have two loving parents who made sure I had everything a little girl could have ever asked for. I went to a great high school, got scholarships throughout college, did an internship in NYS Assembly, Bronx District Attorney’s Office, U.S Congress, and U.S Senate, and went to law school to pursue a masters in Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Law. All. Because. Of. You.
For those of you who are reading about Bilquis Edhi for the first time… I want you to know who she was to me, and to all of Pakistan. #BilquisEdhi was a hero, she was a mother to so many orphans (like me) and a powerhouse for humanity.
Losing Bare Abbu (#AbdulSattarEdhi) was tough, but your loss has made me feeling orphaned again today…
My name is Rabia Bibi Osaman, and I will forever be a proud #Edhi baby.
And just like this, there are so many other stories too. Bilquis Edhi is a woman who has made sure to help as many people as she could and give them homes and a family when no one else could. She will always be in our hearts, and we hope that other people too can continue to follow her example and be a source of happiness for others.
