Dear Dopers,
I have received permission to post this appeal on the SDMB. Below the appeal I have included Ed Zotti’s correspondence with IRD, the agency collecting money for Saad’s surgery. Mods please move this if I have posted in the wrong forum.
As some of you know, I am a foreign aid worker. Until last year I was working in Baghdad. A friend and colleague still working there sent me this appeal which I am reproducing below. I have removed some information that identifies my colleagues by name. The email also included a heartbreaking photo which I have omitted. I promise I won’t make a habit of posting this kind of thing here. Thank you to everyone who can help.
My colleague’s original appeal
I am making a personal appeal to you to help this eight-year old boy, Saad Dhiab who has a congenital a birth defect, an externalized bladder. The boy needs three operations totaling $30,000 to reinsert his bladder and reconstruct his genitals, giving him an opportunity for a normal life.
I don’t usually ask this but there are no programs here for children with birth defects, and, frankly, he’s a really nice kid. He came to our offices with his parents and I promised I would do all I could to help. Could you please make a donation? Donations can be made by credit card on the IRD website by selecting “Donate to the Children of Iraq”. 100% of all donations made before May 15th will go to Saad. We have one month to raise the money.
As you may know, our program provides medical assistance to civilian victims of violence in Baghdad, providing specialized surgery, prosthetics and rehabilitation for innocent victims. Though our funds are only for victims and not for birth defects, we are using our medical staffs’ expertise and volunteer personnel to ensure that we get the best care at the best price for this boy. The team, this boy and his family, and I would be grateful for any help you can offer.
Thank you,
Correspondence between me, Ed Zotti and IRD:
Being the suspicious sort, I took the liberty of contacting the IRD to establish if this were legitimate, and received the following affirmative response. So go ahead and post; just say (a) you asked us if it were OK; (b) we asked IRD and got the reply below, which I encourage you to include in your post; and (c) we’re satisfied the situation is as described and commend the cause to our members. Thanks for asking, good luck, and good luck to the kid. -Ed
Ed,
Thank you so much for your call. It is indeed a true story and everyone in Baghdad has been very moved by the plight of children with birth defects. IRD staff in Baghdad has met the boy and his family and our staff is eager to help them. Your contribution to this appeal is greatly appreciated. Don’t hesitate to call me again if you have any more questions.
Please check our organization through our website at http://www.ird-dc.org
International Relief and Development, Inc.
1621 N. Kent Street, 4th Floor
Arlington, VA 22209
