Oswego Photographer Working to Help Injured Haitian Girl

Todd Pierson is a film director/photographer in Illinois and travels to Haiti once a year to bring back stories and document projects for New Life for Haiti, a 501(c)3 organization. 

The all volunteer group is dedicated to improving the lives of remote villages by improving water conditions, providing a meal program and building schools. 

During this last trip in September, the group encountered a 13-year-old girl, Widline, who was hurt in a swimming accident. She severely injured her spine when she hit a submerged tree branch in the river. 

"As we stood there talking with this family, our hearts broke. She has nothing and lives in a 12x12 foot home with her parents and 5 siblings. We prayed for her and I could see she was visibly shaken," said Pierson.

In Haiti, life is hard and if you aren't physically able, you get left behind. She can't walk the trails, she risks further injury from falling when it rains, she can't go to school, she can't help around the house which makes it harder on the parents since kids do a lot of the water fetching, cooking and misc. chores.

New Life for Haiti decided to do the impossible and bring her to the states for medical care which will most likely involve spinal/hip surgery. It's a massive undertaking with paper work, transportation, medical/surgical needs, accommodations, transportation to doctor appointments not to mention language barriers to overcome. 

Pierson's family has agreed to take care of her needs while she is here and they have had another family step up to offer help in that area too. They are currently seeking a surgeon/hospital to donate her medical needs. 

The financial needs are for two things: to cover her transportation/paper work and we want to build this family a decent home with 3 rooms. $10,000 will build the house, $5000 will get her here and home again.

For those who would like to help, a donation page has been set up here to help raise funds for Widline. 

Provided by Todd Pierson. 

Related:

• Oswego Photographer Visits Haiti and Reveals Need for New School
• Oswego Photographer Sends Dispatch from Haiti