Quick facts about Operation Smile South Africa:

• In as little as 45 minutes, one cleft lip surgery can change a child’s life forever.
• Approximately one in every 750 babies in Africa is born with a cleft lip or cleft palate.
• Children with facial deformities who do not receive reconstructive surgery often have difficulty breathing, drinking, eating and speaking. As a result, many suffer from malnutrition, medical and psychological problems.
• A cleft lip or cleft palate operation and follow up care costs approximately R5500.
• Operation Smile South Africa (OSSA) was officially registered as a section 21 (non-profit) company in March 2006.
• Operation Smile South Africa (OSSA) has treated over 1650 children since 2006.
• Since 1982, more than 150 000 children and young adults have been treated by thousands of Operation Smile volunteers worldwide and thousands of healthcare professionals have been trained globally.
• OSSA’s World Care Program cares for patients around the continent with more severe craniofacial malformations. To date this program has provided life-saving surgery to ten children from around Africa at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Hospital in Durban, Kwa-Zulu Natal.
• Operation Smile provides care for children in 60 countries worldwide. Nine resource countries raise funds and provide medical volunteers, while 42 program countries receive education and training and conduct surgeries.