5 Ways Operation Smile Brings Smiles Within Reach 

Of all the special days and celebrations throughout the year, the first Friday in October is one of our favorites. It’s World Smile Day, a day dedicated to acts of kindness and, of course, smiles. For us here at Operation Smile, it’s a chance to reflect on the work we’ve done over the past year to bring care closer to home, to strengthen local health systems and to create lasting access for communities that need it most.  

In 37 countries with thousands of medical volunteers and care providers, we see actions big and small that contribute to life-changing care, making smiles and brighter futures truly within reach.  

Here are just a few of the recent stories that have put a smile on our faces. We hope they do the same for you.  

Training Local Providers for Sustainable Care: Expanding Access in Northern Guatemala  

In Petén, Guatemala, like many low- and middle-income communities, distance is a major barrier to care. Through Operation 100, Operation Smile is bringing surgery and comprehensive care closer to home in areas like this by investing in the infrastructure of regional hospitals. Its location not only serves families in Petén but also extends care to nearby border communities in Belize and Mexico, where access to safe, timely surgery is often limited. The hospital also serves as a training center for local health providers, helping build a skilled workforce that strengthens the health system for generations.  

The key to expanding care to these regions starts with the training of surgical teams and allied health professionals. 

Watch the video. 

Shaping Policy & Advocacy to Strengthen Health Systems: A Milestone in Ghana 

Irene Dzirasa, regional lead in Africa to the policy and advocacy department at Operation Smile, works with governments, ministries of health and strategic partners to improve access to surgery, obstetric, trauma and anesthesia (SOTA) care across the African continent.  

One recent milestone Dzirasa has been a part of has been working with the government of Ghana and the Ministry of Health to develop Ghana’s very first national surgical, obstetric and anesthesia plan. Through field verification, the team ensured hospitals had functioning anesthesia machines, reliable backup power and trained personnel — bridging the gap between policy and reality. “During this process, the surgical care teams were very excited to see a team from the Ministry of Health plus Operation Smile coming to visit them to discuss what challenges they have,” says Dzirasa.  

Read full story.

A Dream Realized: The Opening of Operation Smile Tanzania 

From growing up in a small village to the opening of Operation Smile in his home country, expanding access to care is what drives Augustino Hellar, M.D., regional director of east Africa. With over 20 years of experience at Operation Smile, Heller has been a crucial part of the team driving forward Operation 100 in Africa, focusing on the need to harness talent within the country and to train providers in under-resourced areas. The opening of Operation Smile Tanzania in 2024 was a personal milestone for him. 

“When I joined Operation Smile, I was responsible for Rwanda, Kenya, Ethiopia and Ghana. I was seeing its impact in all these other countries, and I wished the same could happen in my country,” he says. “It’s a dream come true that we now have Operation Smile Tanzania.” 

Read more about the opening of Operation Smile Tanzania. 

Unexpected Laughs: Working with Partners to Take the Fear Out Surgery  

Waiting for a medical procedure can be a stressful time for young patients and their families, but the teams at Operation Smile know how to create moments of joy and hope, while educating about the surgical process. At one hospital in Riohacha in La Guajira, Colombia, young patients are entertained by silly clowns in red noses, juggling balls and hula hoops. These are Clowns Without Borders, working in collaboration with the organization and with support from the Postcode Lottery in Sweden. Their mission is to teach a method using play and laughter to help children and parents relax in the stressful situation that a hospital visit — and possibly the child’s first ever — can be, along with the upcoming operation.  

Read the story. 

Small Contributions Have Big Impacts 

Lasting change doesn’t come from one person or one moment; it comes from many people working together over time. Operation 100 exemplifies this collective approach, making impact and smiles within reach for communities everywhere.  

One incredible example of the power of this work is the story of Chris Joy, a young patient with burns who received care, prosthetics and hope from Operation Smile’s newly trained volunteered surgeons in Rwanda. Until a few years ago, Rwanda only had two certified plastic surgeons, both trained abroad. In collaboration with Operation Smile, these two surgeons developed a plan to establish an academic program within the College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA) to increase the number of plastic surgeons in Rwanda and throughout the region. Today, six plastic surgeons work in the country, and new ones are added each year. 

On World Smile Day, we celebrate every health care professional trained, every resilient community, every partner who supports our work, every supporter who makes lasting impact possible and every child whose life is transformed through safe surgery. From policy to training programs to partnerships, these efforts show that when care is brought closer to the community, hope is closer, too.