The birth of a child should be a joyful event. But for many women in developing nations, it’s only the beginning of a downward spiral into pain, loneliness and shame. The West Africa Fistula Foundation estimates that between 2 and 3 million African women suffer from a serious childbirth injury, an obstetric fistula, that leaves them incontinent and ostracized from society. With a specialized surgery provided by Mercy Ships, the lives of these women are transformed. from rejection to acceptance, from despair to joy…a restoration of hope. In a special ceremony marking the end of her stay in the hospital, Mercy Ships gives each woman a new dress to wear home as a reminder of her beauty.