24/06/2026
Clara was born with a severe cleft lip and palate in a small village in Madagascar — where fear and stigma are very real.
The shame around her condition was so heavy that it tore her family apart.
Clara was bullied at school. She struggled to speak. And she often stayed home, hiding from the world. But her father, Dede, never gave up hope of getting help for his daughter. For six years, he continued to search.
For many families, there’s no clear path to treatment. Without surgery, cleft conditions can lead to malnutrition, illness, speech delays — and deep social isolation.
When Dede found hope through our program — Clara was able to access the surgery she needed.
“When we came home from the hospital after surgery, everybody in our village was amazed to see her,” Dede says. “She looked so different, like another person.”
With access to surgery, a child’s future can change completely.
