Free Cleft Surgery for 400 Poor Children in India

Free poor children surgery in india

Summary

The Smile Train is dedicated to helping the millions of children in India who suffer from unrepaired cleft lips & palates by providing free surgery, giving them a new smile, new hope, & new beginning. progress reportread updates from the field

How You Can Help  Help

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Received $7,226 from 136 donations from people like:

Ajithsworld aroerig Raewynne Devyani

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More Information About this Project

Project Needs and Beneficiaries

Each year about 24,000 Indian babies are born with cleft lips and palates. Approximately 799,000 of these children need medical care to lead productive lives. Because of their defect, they are often abandoned at birth. The greatest tragedy is that cleft surgery is a simple procedure that takes as little as 45 minutes and can cost as little as $250. This surgery gives hope and a new beginning to children who otherwise would lead lives of isolation and shame.

Activities

Each child who undergoes cleft surgery is given a second chance at life. The surgery takes 45 minutes, but the impact lasts a lifetime. After years of living in shame and isolation, the children can finally go to school and lead happy lives.

Funding Information

Total Funding Received to Date: $7,226
Remaining Goal to be Funded: $92,773
Total Funding Goal: $100,000

Additional Documentation

This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).

Resources

Why this Project is Important

Potential Long Term Impact

Children’s lives will be changed forever. Their family’s dignity is restored and the medical community benefits. Trained Smile Train doctors share their surgical skills with new doctors assuring that cleft care will be available for years to come.

Project Message

Many children with cleft in India lead lives of isolation and shame. They are left to beg on the street or hidden away by their families. The Smile Train gives these children hope for a new life.
- Satish Kalra, regional director of southeast Asia

Who is Running This Project

Contact

Michele Sinesky
Special Project Coordinator
245 Fifth Avenue
Suite 2201
New York, New York 10016
United States
1-212-689-9199
Email:

Project Sponsor

The Tech Awards

Organization

The Smile Train
41 Madison Avenue 28th Floor
New York, New York 10010
United States
1-212-689-9199
http://www.smiletrain.org

Where this Project is Located

Country

This project is located in IndiaIndia and can also be found under ChildrenChildren.

For more information about India, read the Human Development Report on India or the Wikipedia entry for India.

When this Project was Updated

Last Updated

This project was last updated on November 6, 2009.

Date Added to GlobalGiving

This project was added to the GlobalGiving project catalog on October 10, 2005

Latest Update from the Field

India Update

By Adina Wexelberg-Clouser - Donor Relations Associate, August 06, 2009 11:44 AM

This past year Smile Train completed 45,0000 surgeries in India. Next year, in conjunction with our 183 partner hospitals, we are hoping to perform over 49,000 surgeries. In addition, we are in our third cycle of the India Smile Grant program. This year, we have 73 participating hospitals and will distribute $125,986 to some of our poorest patients and their families.
In the coming months several screenings of the documentary Smile Pinki will take place across India. We are very excited to bring this Oscar winning film back to where it was created!

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