Celebrating 25: New Milestones, New Impact, New Opportunities to Change the World
2 Million and Counting
Thanks to our dedicated supporters and global network of dedicated local partners, we have officially surpassed our two millionth cleft surgery. What an incredible way to celebrate our 25th year!
The story of this milestone starts in a tiny river village in South Sumatra, Indonesia, with Alim and his son Rajib.
Alim, age 50, had to drop out of school in first grade due to unrelenting bullying. It pained him to see his son suffer like he did, even if, at 10 years old, he still insisted on not dropping out.
Smile Train Images
Then, in February 2024, hope came to their isolated village donning a camouflage uniform. The Indonesian Army arrived with the news the family had spent the past half century praying for: Alim and Rajib could both get free cleft surgery at their nearest hospital, and one of them would receive Smile Train’s two millionth cleft surgery. The whole world was going to hear their story and marvel at their new smiles.
“Rajib should be two million,” Alim insisted. “I will be the two-million-and-first.”
Journey and hospital gallery
Two million cleft surgeries is more than every other charity combined. Smile Train reached this milestone in just 25 years thanks to our unique, sustainable model of empowering local healthcare workers around the world to provide high-quality, free cleft treatment to their neighbors in need — no matter how remote — and generous gifts from people like you who understand that smiles change lives.
As we celebrate 25 years of lighting up the world with smiles, we know that another baby with a cleft is born every three minutes. And there are still more than a million more people just like Rajib and Alim waiting for the care that will turn their cleft into a second chance at life.