Could this be you … part of a team finding joy in giving children new smiles?

CHANGE THE WORLD

 

Volunteer

Volunteers are the life-blood of our organisation … giving selflessly of their time and skills to help children born with cleft conditions. Please consider joining our happy team. We need qualified and dedicated:

  • Plastic Surgeons/Maxillofacial Surgeons (with proven cleft experience)
  • Anaesthesiologists
  • Paediatric Anaesthesiologists
  • Paediatric Intensivists
  • Paediatricians
  • Nurses (especially willing night duty nurses)
  • Biomedical Technicians
  • Orthodontists/General Dentists – not currently accepting new applications
  • Speech Therapists
  • Psychologists
  • Occupational Therapists
  • Medical Records Personnel – not currently accepting new applications
  • Patient Imaging Technicians
  • Photographers
  • People willing to help us raise funds and tackle general admin tasks

In return, we offer fantastic camaraderie, an incredible sense of satisfaction, and unforgettable moments that will touch your  heart forever.

 

PLEASE NOTE:
The application and credentialing process takes time. Paperwork needs to be completed, and numerous documents submitted.

Once all paperwork has been submitted and approved, you will be invited to attend successive SA programmes. Following positive evaluations, you will be credentialed as an Operation Smile volunteer.

 

VOLUNTEER IN SOUTH AFRICA

5 Ways Volunteers Drive Sustainable Development and Impact

 

1. Caring for their communities

Volunteers provide cleft information and help community members access the care they need.

2. Training and mentoring other local health care workers

Volunteers create hands-on training opportunities in regions where specialty education isn’t available.

3. Leading policy, research and advocacy efforts

Volunteers help shape policy, research and advocacy to expand access to care in their communities and globally, ensuring care reaches those who need it most.

4. Supporting comprehensive care

Beyond surgery, comprehensive care supports every part of a child’s development – from nutrition to speech, oral health and psychosocial care. Volunteers share expertise, mentor local clinicians and help build systems that ensure children receive high-quality care in their communities.

5. Creating a Ripple Effect

Volunteers’ work inspires a new generation who continue to make an impact in their communities and beyond. This ripple effect spreads through patients, families and caregivers, showing how one act of care can multiply into many.

Volunteers speak

Voluntee Clover-ann Lee

People often talk about how Operation Smile changes patients’ lives. But my first surgical programme in Madagascar changed me too. One father carried his young son on his back for seven days to reach us. Every surgical programme leaves a mark on you. There is always a patient – or a story – you carry with you long after you go home.

Dr. Clover-ann Lee

Paediatric Anaesthesiologist, volunteer for 15 Years

Volunteer Bruce Lelala

I come from an underprivileged background and being able to help those in need is a great honor and achievement for me. Joining Operation Smile was one of my best decisions. I admire and respect the values of the organisation, the dedication and the passion of everyone involved and the amazing work that the organization does globally.

Dr. Bruce Lelala

Plastic Surgeon, volunteer for 4 Years

Hanlie Snyman

Cleft lip or palate can lead to psychosocial challenges that have an enormous effect on the individual and their families. I prepare the patient for the procedure and help the children and their families by providing information, support and guidance. My role is small compared to the rest of the team, but if the patient and their families know what to expect, they feel less anxious and uncertain. By volunteering I am part of a team that ultimately changes the physical condition, but most importantly it helps a person to live a life with a stronger sense of self-belief and social competence. I feel honoured to be part of that.
Hanlie Snyman

Educational Psychologist, Volunteer for 6 Years

Volunteers Speak – Prof Madaree

Seeing a child smiling, seeing a mother’s tears — that’s so moving. Many people around the world have problems accessing safe surgery. If we can try to help them,  that’s the humanitarian thing we must do.

Prof. Anil Madaree

Plastic Surgeon, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, UKZN

VOLUNTEER APPLICATION FORM

Click here to volunteer in other countries

 

Please complete the form, and our volunteer coordinator will get back to you shortly. Thank you for your interest in volunteering at Operation Smile South Africa.