Spreading smiles: empowering rural communities during #CleftAwarenessWeek and beyond

As we celebrate Cleft Lip and Palate Awareness Week, it’s essential to reflect on the incredible strides made in supporting children born with clefts worldwide. At Smile Train, we are committed to not only providing life-changing cleft surgery and comprehensive cleft care for free but also ensuring that our programmes reach even the most remote rural communities. This week, we celebrate not only the lives transformed but also the awareness we raise about our services in these often-overlooked areas.?

Rural communities face unique challenges in accessing healthcare services, and those affected by clefts are no exception. Limited infrastructure, a lack of awareness, and financial constraints often prevent individuals and their families from seeking the care they desperately need. Every three minutes a baby is born with a cleft and so, Smile Train works with local?medical partners around the world to bring free cleft treatments and lifesaving care to children in need 365 days a year.?

Local Smile Train staff and in-country volunteers raise awareness about clefts and the services that Smile Train offers through media campaigns, visits to neighbouring communities, health worker outreach, and word of mouth. Families learn that clefts can be treated at no cost at a Smile Train local partner hospital.??

One of Smile Train’s key goals is to reach as many children with clefts as possible. That means offering parents and family members of children with clefts a free and easy way to contact Smile Train and access their life-changing services. Smile Train India and our corporate partners, Haleon India, launched the country’s first toll-free national cleft helpline.?

Since its launch, the helpline has received thousands of calls from families of children with clefts across India, providing them with the help and advice they needed. It has led to hundreds of successful cleft surgeries.?

But none of this would be possible without the generosity of our supporters. Your donations enable us to continue our vital work in rural communities, providing hope and transforming lives one smile at a time. Every pound contributed goes directly towards funding surgeries, training medical professionals, and raising our profile—helping those born with a cleft live brighter, healthier lives.?

Whether you choose to fundraise, donate, or simply spread the word this Cleft Lip and Palate Awareness Week, your actions matter. Visit the Smile Train UK website today to learn more about how you can get involved and help us change the world, one smile at a time.?