News & Events
Honouring the role of women during Women’s month
Over 90% of the volunteer medical professionals who serve on our surgical programmes – surgeons, nurses, paediatric anaesthesiologists and therapists – are women.
Mbombela surgical programme exceeds goal!
No fewer than 35 life-changing cleft surgeries were completed in Mbombela over the weekend – thanks to the efforts of volunteers from across South Africa and generous donor support. What began as a weekend marathon to complete 25 surgeries ended in 35 smiles....
Surgery at last for little Rorisang – thanks to mom’s determination
When young mom, Lebone, brought her baby to the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital for the Operation Smile surgical programme in May 2025, her heart was in her mouth. This was her third attempt to get surgery for little Rorisang, who was born with a bilateral cleft lip.
Weekend surgeries to reduce cleft backlog in Gauteng
In a major push to reduce the backlog of cleft lip and palate surgeries in Gauteng, Operation Smile and Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital (NMCH) – with key support from Life Healthcare – delivered an intensive weekend surgical programme from 16 to 18 May 2025.
National Strategic Meeting on Safe Surgical Care
On 15 May 2025, Operation Smile was proud to support the National Strategic Meeting on Safe Surgical Care, hosted in Johannesburg by the SA Safe Surgical Care Technical Working Group (TWG).
Cipla Team joins Pondo Trail Run to fund more smiles
The Pondo Trail Run which takes place this year from 28 May – 1 June offers runners the chance to traverse one of the world’s most untouched coastlines while raising funds for The Pondoland Conservation Trust and the Cipla Foundation’s Miles for Smiles initiative....
South African Healthcare Experts support Pan-African Surgical Conference
Africa has the fewest surgeons and anaethetists per capita worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. For every 10,000 people, there are just two doctors and 11 nurses and midwives, compared to 41 doctors and 113 nurses and midwives in North America.
Best way to start the New Year!
For the first time, little Kgomotso actually looked forward to going back to school this year. Thanks to the surgery he received from Operation Smile, he can now face his classmates with a big, confident smile on his face. Last year, he was teased and bullied...
Another successful surgical programme completed at the Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital in Mthatha
Our Operation Smile team traveled to Mthatha over the weekend of 1-3 November to bring life changing surgery to cleft patients from the surrounding rural areas.
How AI is helping Operation Smile bring cleft care to remote regions.
Operation Smile, together with Microsoft, is piloting an AI programme to assist in patient diagnosis and educating surgeons in remote areas.
Operation Smile gives Maurice a second chance at life
In 2022, Operation Smile facilitated an application from the Minister of Health DRC to the South African Minister of Health for Maurice to receive surgery in South Africa.
Story of faith and perseverance – Kayol’s 8-year journey to cleft surgery
Kayol’s story is testament to a father’s love and how faith and perseverance combined to change a child’s life.
40 children receive life-changing surgery at Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital
From 24-28 July at the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital in Johannesburg, Operation Smile and The Smile Foundation joined forces for a Madiba Smile Relay surgical programme to help children born with cleft lip.
Weekend dental programme attracts schoolkids
A total of 81 children benefitted from the recent weekend dental programme at Rob Ferreira Hospital in Nelspruit.
Moments of joy and gratitude at Rob Ferreira Hospital, Mbombela
From the early preparations to the final moments of joy and gratitude, every second was a testament to the power of unity and compassion at Operation Smile SA.
Importance of dentistry in patients with cleft lip and palate
One of the main goals of Operation Smile worldwide is to provide opportunities for local doctors, dentists, and therapists to acquire the specialised knowledge they need to assist children and adults born with cleft conditions in their communities. Twenty...
Operation Smile receives Batho Pele Award
Operation Smile South Africa is proud and honoured to have been awarded the Batho Pele Service Excellence and Innovation Award from the Department of Health, Eastern Cape.
Another successful surgical programme at Rob Ferreira Hospital in Mpumalanga
Operation Smile South Africa recently completed another successful surgical programme at Rob Ferreira Hospital in Mbombela.
Pondo 2024 – running for children and conservation
Next week 140 runners from across the country will gather at the Wild Coast Sun for the start of the 2024 PONDO Trail. Their goal: to complete the 103km run (either in a one day ULTRA or three-day COASTER) and raise funds for the Pondoland Conservation Trust and Operation Smile.
Akhanyile gets her smile!
Akhanyile doesn’t smile much. And even though she’s only two, she often reaches up to cover her mouth with her hand. She knows she’s different.
Miles for Smiles – running along the coast of Ghana for Operation Smile
During March, adventurers David Grier and Andrew Stuart will be running 160 kms along the coastline in Accra, Ghana to raise funds for cleft surgery.
Community Healthcare Workers’ training in Mpumalanga
In February 2024, Operation Smile’s Mpumalanga Patient Coordinator, Dakalo Maguga, supported the Department of Health in presenting a community outreach training programme.
Mr Beast gets behind Operation Smile
Last November, during a visit to Puebla, Mexico, the Beast Philanthropy team witnessed firsthand the life-changing work done by Operation Smile.
2023 COSECSA Conference, Graduation, and Annual Meeting
Recognizing the challenges in the current medical education system, Operation Smile forged a pivotal partnership with COSECSA, the largest surgical training institution in Sub-Saharan Africa, in 2021.
Bigger and Better – 2023 Cycle for Smiles raises over R100 000
What an amazing group of cyclists we had participating in this year’s Cycle for Smiles to raise funds for Operation Smile. Collectively, they raised almost R105000 towards free, safe surgery for children born with cleft lip or palate
Building Local Capacity – Operation Smile runs training workshops in Mthatha
Around 25 delegates, mostly locally based Eastern Cape Government employed dentists and dental technicians attended our recent training workshop in Mthata, while seven delegates attended our speech therapy training workshop.
Operation Smile welcomes new UCT Paediatric Anaesthesia Fellow
Dr Ncumisa Sabona has joined the global Operation Smile team as a paediatric anaesthesia in global surgery fellow. She was formally welcomed to the team during our recent surgical programme in Mthatha.
Medical volunteers transform young lives
If you’ve been following the story of 2-year-old Ntlelo on our website, you’ll be delighted to hear that she was one of 22 children and adults who received life changing surgery last weekend during Operation Smile SA’s surgical programme in Mthatha.
Endurance athletes raise more than R1m for Operation Smile
Dan Meyer’s bicycle was playing up, and steadily getting worse. If he’d been at home in Cape Town, it wouldn’t have been a problem. But he was alone in a deserted area of the US with 50km and a mountain range between him and the nearest repair shop. “The...
South African adventurers, David Grier and Andrew Stuart, to run 1 500km for Operation Smile
Extreme South African adventurer, David Grier, and running partner Andrew Stuart are attempting to run 1,500km down the entire coastline of Portugal and Madeira to raise funds for Operation Smile.
