Operation Smile Kenya

16/07/2026

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4owrTVuXzc

In Kilifi, Kenya, Mapenzi faced a difficult reality after the birth...

15/07/2026

Joseph remembers the uncertainty after his son Peter was born with a cleft condition. Growing up in Thika, Kenya, he recalls facing community stigma while trying to understand how to care for his child.

When he learned about the care Operation Smile mile could provide, Joseph brought Peter for treatment. After surgery, Peter gained a bright new smile and growing confidence, engaging more with the world around him.

Today, Peter is in Grade 2 and thriving in school. His teachers describe him as bright, and at home Joseph sees a child learning, playing, and keeping up with his peers. Peter’s story reflects how access to care can change a child’s future.

Joseph remembers the uncertainty after his son Peter was born with ...

14/07/2026

Meet Lukas — and his mom, Eunice, who has been waiting for this moment since the day he was born.

When Lukas arrived, Eunice was frightened and unsure how she would care for him. But when she learned about Operation Smile, we felt hope. For Eunice, this moment meant more than surgery. It meant confidence, pride and the ability to share her son with the world without fear.

Thanks to the support of our global community of volunteers, donors, and partners, children like Lukas can receive life-changing care and families can look forward to brighter futures.

Listen to his journey on You Tube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DLE_x8zUlo&feature=youtu.be

13/07/2026

For families welcoming a child born with a cleft condition, the first moments can bring shock, confusion, and uncertainty as they adjust to an unexpected reality. In our programs in Kenya, psychosocial provider Nancy Ngetha helps families navigate these early emotions, guiding them to process what they are feeling during a challenging time.

With nearly 20 years of experience volunteering with Operation Smile, Nancy focuses on creating emotional safety for patients and caregivers from the start of their journey. By building trust and offering steady guidance, psychosocial providers help families move forward, knowing their child’s journey is full of hope.

11/07/2026

A brighter future is opening for Elias! Through Operation Smile’s surgical program in Mombasa, he received the care he needed, supported by a team that guided his family with kindness and reassurance. For his mother, Mapenzi, this moment brought relief and renewed hope.

Stories like this reflect how access to cleft surgery and care can change a family’s experience, easing fear and isolation and replacing it with acceptance, support and hope for the future. Thanks to the dedication of our medical volunteers and the generosity of donors and partners, more children like Elias can receive the care they need to thrive.

10/07/2026

Safe, high-quality surgical care depends on early coordination. Before many surgical programs begin, volunteer teams take part in education days to enhance their skills and align on patient care.

Surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, and other health care professionals come together to understand their roles across the full patient journey. Working alongside local teams, they strengthen coordination before entering the operating room while also building clinical confidence and supporting long-term capacity within local health systems.

At Operation Smile, education is central to strengthening surgical systems. Through training and mentorship, we equip health professionals with the skills needed to expand access to care within the communities they serve.

09/07/2026

When Dorcas gave birth to her son Hazel, she felt shocked and uncertain. Seeing her child born with a cleft condition was overwhelming for both her and Hazel’s father, Pinchas, but they believed they would face it together.

Traveling from Nairobi, she held onto hope as Hazel moved through screening at the surgical program. After Hazel was approved for surgery, she felt relief. Seeing Hazel after surgery filled her with emotion, and back home his family was amazed by the change.

Today, Hazel’s new smile reflects a journey shaped by love and resilience. Through the dedication of our medical volunteers, donors and partners, more children like Hazel can receive safe, high-quality care.

08/07/2026

Each year, an estimated 2,000 children in Kenya are born with cleft conditions, many in underserved communities with limited access to safe surgical care. For many families, reaching treatment can require long, difficult journeys, delaying care.

Through Operation 100, Operation Smile is bringing care closer to home and strengthening local health systems. At surgical programs like the one at Port Reitz Sub County Hospital in Mombasa, multidisciplinary volunteer teams provide free, high-quality cleft care while also receiving education and training, helping build local capacity across Kenya. By investing in regional hospitals and local health providers, Operation Smile is helping expand access to care and build more sustainable, resilient health systems for the future.

14/05/2026

Biomed training has officially kicked off at Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral & Research Hospital (KUTRRH), marking a key step in strengthening biomedical capacity in Kenya and improving the safety, efficiency, and quality of surgical care.

Biomedical engineers play a vital role in ensuring medical equipment is safe, functional, and reliable—directly contributing to better patient outcomes and stronger health system resilience.

The nine biomedical engineers participating represent Operation Smile Kenya partner facilities. The program equips them with best practices in equipment management, maintenance, troubleshooting, and innovation, aligned with Operation Smile's global standards and Operation 100 goals.
Operation Smile

12/05/2026

Behind every surgery is a nurse making care possible. From preparing patients for surgery to supporting recovery, they play a critical role in delivering safe, high-quality care across every stage of the patient journey.

This , we recognize the essential role nurses play in expanding access to care and strengthening health systems worldwide. Nurses like Florence Mangula, known by her colleagues as “Mama Africa,” bring this impact to life. A longtime volunteer from Kenya, she has supported surgical care across Africa for more than 30 years. Working in the post-anesthesia care unit, she monitors patients as they recover from surgery and ensures they are stable, comforting children and reassuring families. Beyond patient care, she also mentors fellow health care providers, helping build stronger surgical teams and more sustainable health systems.


To all our nurse volunteers, thank you for your compassion, dedication to our patients, and your continued commitment to training and mentorship. Through , we’re investing in the education and support health care providers like nurses need to expand access to essential surgery, creating a lasting impact on the lives of children and families around the world.