Smile Train Stories

Sana’a, Yemen - In a country filled with economic and political turmoil, clashes between protestors and forces loyal to embattled President Ali Abdullah Saleh, and the looming threat of Al-Qaeda, miracles can seem in short supply: especially for those who are shunned by society for being born with cleft. Luckily, the heroes of Smile Train partner Yemen Smile have dedicated their lives to making sure that every child born with a cleft in the impoverished, yet proud country can receive the medical care that they need.

While primarily operating in the capital city of Sana’a, Yemen Smile also has treatment centers throughout the country and conducts larger cleft surgery camps throughout the year. The political unrest has caused shortages of gas, electricity, food, and even water — making traveling for the cleft camps even harder for both medical staff and patients. Amidst the turmoil, Yemen Smile arrived in the southern city Yarim for an intensive cleft lip and palate camp at Yarim Hospital.

Poor families came from miles and miles away desperate for the chance that their children could live normal lives. As word spread that free cleft surgeries were being performed at a local clinic, patients continued to arrive well after midnight. Hospital Director Dr. Nabil Alsalami took them in and offered free food and lodging to the patients during their stay.

Power outages threatened the OR and promised to put the medical staff’s skills to the test, until volunteer Fathy Njeh, an engineer from the French Embassy, was able to connect a lightweight headlamp to three large batteries for a fully powered 100 hour charge: more than enough to make it through the outages without missing a beat.

In four days, 22 patients received free Smile Train cleft surgeries and new lives thanks to the hard work, dedication and ingenuity of local partner Yemen Smile.