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Smile train helps children lead normal lives

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RAMADAN is synonymous with charity and one organisation hoping for more donations is the Smile Train, which funds surgery for children with a cleft lip or palate.

 

 

 

 

Muslims are urged to try to donate more to charity during the holy month of Ramadan.

 

 

 

 

Most children born with a cleft lip cannot eat or speak properly. In parts of the developing world, those with a cleft lip are not allowed to attend school and are unable to hold down a job because of their appearance.

 

 

 

 

It is estimated that one child in every 600 children is born with this birth defect.

 

 

 

 

Plastic surgeon Dr Tahmeedullah Tahmeed said he is changing the lives of those whose affected by cleft lip/palates.

 

 

 

 

Dr Tahmeed, whose waiting list in Pakistan has more than 600 patients, said: ‘Most of the patients cannot afford to pay for surgery. Smile Train is a ray of hope for them.’

 

 

 

 

Smile Train, founded in 1999, empowers local medical professionals to provid cleft treatment.

 

It has supported over 780,000 life-changing cleft surgeries in13 years.

 

 

 

 

Priscilla Ma, the charity’s executive director, said: ‘Smile Train works with 1,100 plus partner hospitals in more than 75 countries, training local doctors who donate their time and providing funding to support the costs of the operations.

 

 

 

 

‘The operations provide a new lease on life for children who might, in some cases, never receive it.

 

 

 

 

‘We’re helping more than 325 children every day. And our mission is to ensure that every child born with a cleft anywhere in the world has the opportunity to live a full and productive life.’

 

 

 

 

Another charity which has launched a campaign during Ramadan is ActionAid, which is offering the chance to sponsor a child in Bangladesh. It is urging people to pay £15 a month to help lift children from poverty as part of a Muslim’s Zakat.

 

 

 

 

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