DENTAL MISSION TO QUANG NGAI BY SMILE RUNNERS
From sunny and windy Quang Ngai, our program team excitedly reported their first dental mission of the year which has been happening smoothly and effectively. 20 medical and non-medical volunteers have been working very hard to screen thousands of students, provide fluoride and filling treatment to hundreds of students from primary schools every day.
The team received sincere appreciation from headmasters of the schools for the work of dentists, nurses, non-medical volunteers, as well as OSV for giving them a chance for dental health improvement.
This mission is made possible by the tireless efforts of hundreds of Smile Runners who have been carrying Operation Smile’s flags on their races to help raise awareness and funding to support our noble missions.
Moreover, we would like to express our warmest thanks to in-kind sponsor Determinant of Esquel Group for giving cotton masks to teachers and students.
UPCOMING SURGICAL MISSION SPONSORED BY SIKA
The dental mission in Quang Ngai is followed by a surgical mission that is going to be organized from April 23 – 27 and projected to provide treatment for about 120 patients. This is the first of 3 missions sponsored by Operation Smile’s strategic partner Sika in the year 2021.
Before the mission, a nursing training will happen with an aim to improve the knowledge and skills related to cleft surgery for 30 nurses of Quang Ngai Hospital for Children and Women, which ultimately increase the quality of medical service at the hospital.
SHARE YOUR LAUGH WITH THE LAUGHING COW
As a part of a new 3-year partnership announced between The Laughing Cow and Operation Smile Vietnam, a laugh campaign is underway! By collecting 100,000 laughs, The Laughing Cow will donate VND1Billion (more than $43,000!) to Operation Smile Vietnam so more children can receive cleft care.
However, the up-to-date result of it is over the expectation that more than 124,000 Facebook users have joined to share laughs and it has become a phenomenal campaign on social media.
Please continue sharing a photo or video of your favorite laugh and post it with two hashtags that translate to ‘laugh’ and ‘hope’: #1tiengcuoi and #1hivong.
TECHCOMBANK HCMC INTERNATIONAL MARATHON 2021
Techcombank Ho Chi Minh City International Marathon – one of the most iconic races in Southeast Asia, after a few postponements due to the covid-19 outbreak, was taking place on April 11th with more than 13 thousand participants. This race across Ho Chi Minh City follows a series of landmarks before it is finished. The memories that participants made and the message “Until We Heal” for children that Smile Runners delivered will last well beyond the point they cross the finish line.
VND25,000,000 DONATION FROM MOMO TO BUY MILK BOTTLES
Another successful campaign on MoMo lasted only a week and received donations from MoMo users. The goal of this activity was to buy special milk bottles modified for infants with cleft lip and palate.
We are deeply grateful for continuing support from MoMo and its user community.
SMILE BAGS OF BVIS HANOI STUDENTS
After a week of launching a donation campaign to Operation Smile Vietnam, Primary students of British Vietnamese International School Hanoi have contributed more than 800 gifts of learning tools, living supplies and toys. Then some of the Primary children representing 4 Houses, together with the Secondary Smile Club’s members, have put these gifts into ‘Smile bags’ for cleft lip and cleft pallet children. We thank you all for your efforts and contributions!
THE LITTLE KHMER GIRL
She is from a family living in the coastal area of ward Vĩnh Châu, Sóc Trăng province. The mother stays home taking care of 3 children. The father is working as a porter for fishing vessels. Both of them are illiterate.
“Her dad has to work every day, otherwise we would not have enough milk to feed her and the family couldn’t afford for living.” – said the mother.
When she was just born, not only she but the mother was teased by neighbors. Luckily, a monk living in a nearby Khmer temple (Kandal temple) heard about them and gave a hand to help them go to Saigon for the surgical mission of Operation Smile Vietnam.
Until the post-operation, the mother realized that all of the treatment fees were sponsored.
– If it had costed money, how would have you pay?
– The mother: (Laugh) I have no idea… maybe… the monk will pay.
– Her smile has been restored, people will not tease you all, are you happy?
– The mother: Absolutely! I love her so much. Yesterday, she cried a lot after the operation that I couldn’t bear but cried after her.
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Are you curious how she looks like after the surgery? Stay tuned and follow us for her new appearance.
Follow Operation Smile Vietnam:
📍Facebook Fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/operationsmilevietnam
📍Zalo Official Account: https://oa.zalo.me/2193786133201593950
📍Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/operationsmile.vietnam/
📍Volunteer: https://www.facebook.com/groups/465315678013256
#OperationSmile #UntilWeHeal