![Makiba holding a picture of herself before cleft surgery](/sites/default/files/styles/1_column_470_x_305/public/2023-04/makiba-50.jpg?itok=-6n7kO-v)
History Did Not Repeat Itself with Makiba
In the shadow of unthinkable tragedy, Smile Train helped turn sorrow into hope
![Dr. Sally](/sites/default/files/styles/1_column_470_x_305/public/2023-03/dr-sally-headshot.jpg?itok=fJ675NBC)
Dr. Sally Adel: High-Achieving Women Can Have It All
She’s a mom, professor, MD, speech therapist, swallowing and feeding therapist, and our hero
![Yohanes and his mother smiling and holding a picture of him before cleft surgery](/sites/default/files/styles/1_column_470_x_305/public/2023-01/yohanes-50.jpg?itok=lP601sFF)
Never Sleep on Yohanes
More proof that nothing is stronger than a mother’s love
![Azza smiling](/sites/default/files/styles/1_column_470_x_305/public/2022-09/azza-smiling-innovinity-free-cleft-lip-palate-surgery-egypt.jpg?itok=1jVt9oj_)
Innovinity Gives Children With Clefts Their Big Breaks
![Sama](/sites/default/files/styles/1_column_470_x_305/public/2022-05/sama-smiling-after-free-cleft-lip-palate-surgery-smile-train-egypt-50_0.jpg?itok=hJqFIEfi)
Sama’s Mother Never Gave Up on Her. Neither Will We
Where there’s a mother’s love, there’s always hope
![Sondos with her orthodontist](/sites/default/files/styles/1_column_470_x_305/public/2022-05/sondos-with-orthodontist-free-cleft-lip-palate-surgery-care-egypt-smile-train-50.jpg?itok=CCNT3voD)
Against All Odds, Sondos Designs a Future
Nearly starved at birth, orphaned at five, bullied relentlessly, Sondos has survived a lot in nine years. Now she’s ready to thrive
![Adelina and Ionut](/sites/default/files/styles/1_column_470_x_305/public/2022-01/ionut-with-mother-snuggle-after-free-cleft-lip-palate-surgery-romania.jpg?itok=35SO2kRQ)
Ionut: Separation, Isolation… Then a Smile
A mother manages cleft care through quarantine
![Dr. Bethel Ethiopia](/sites/default/files/styles/1_column_470_x_305/public/2021-10/oral-health-training-group%20%283%29.png?itok=U7-5uG3Q)
Untold Stories
In Ethiopia, Dr. Bethel and Smile Train are changing the narrative around malnutrition.
![Saber being held by his father after his Smile Train cleft surgery](/sites/default/files/styles/1_column_470_x_305/public/2021-09/saber-after-free-smile-train-cleft-surgery-egypt.jpg?itok=pdWio38F)
Saber’s Cleft Journey, in His Parents’ Words
![Sesnie hugging a boy after cleft lip and cleft palate surgery in Ethiopia](/sites/default/files/styles/1_column_470_x_305/public/2021-04/sesnie-hugging-cleft-lip-cleft-palate-patient-ethiopia.jpg?itok=UGvLse46)
"I Am Resilient!" Meet Smile Train's Program Manager for East Africa
A conversation with one of our heroes.
![Doha, Smile Train staff member in Morocco](/sites/default/files/styles/1_column_470_x_305/public/2021-02/doha-smile-train-mena.jpg?itok=rP3wMvv7)
Nothing Stops Our Newest Smile Maker In Morocco
Doha is ready for her next big challenge — building an infrastructure for sustainable, local cleft care in her native country as Smile Train’s first regional director for Morocco.