Impact Stories
Real stories of transformation through our charitable healthcare programs and partnerships with organizations like Smile Train. These are just a few of the 1,500+ cleft heroes who have received transformative care from the fearless team at Kalkaal Hospital.
Adan
Cleft Surgery Recipient
From Orphan to Husband
Adan became an orphan at an early age, forcing him to drop out of school and find work to support himself. He faced relentless bullying and harassment because of his cleft. Most people did not even bother to call him Adan, instead using hurtful nicknames.
"Because of the constant taunting, I left my village in search of someone who would accept me for who I am. Thankfully, I found love and got married," Adan shares.
However, when Adan and his bride returned to his village to build a life together, the cruel treatment he faced every day of his life proved too much for her. So she left him.
But Adan could not give up. He and his wife eventually reunited and settled in Mogadishu, where they were able to start anew, far from Adan's tormentors, and find happiness together.
"Now, I experience the liberation of moving around without the fear of discrimination, and I'm filled with gratitude for this fresh start."
Life-Changing Surgery
Age: Early 40s
Education Dreams
Age: 21
Ali
Cleft Surgery Recipient
Beacon of Hope
Ali also faced intense cleft-related bullying. He loved school and he loved learning, but the taunts he faced from classmates drove him to stay home.
Then, when he was 18, his uncle told him about Kalkaal Hospital. "It was like a beacon of hope in the darkness," says Ali.
"I knew deep down that I had to seize this opportunity, no matter the challenges that lay ahead."
Ali made the difficult three-day journey to Mogadishu alone, arriving at Kalkaal both excited and nervous for his surgery. Several days later, he emerged from the hospital with a new smile — and a newfound sense of confidence.
"I've never looked back since the surgery. Here in Mogadishu, I found fulfillment working as a salesman in a local shop. I hope to pursue my dreams of education when the time is right."
Maryan
Cleft Surgery Recipient
Top Grades in School
Like Ali, Maryan loved school but could not bear to go because of constant bullying. Sadly, she encountered similar treatment everywhere she went. Even at home.
"I was bullied by my own siblings and neighbors," Maryan recalls. "I found myself pulling away from social interactions, opting instead to spend my days focused on household chores. My parents believed that since my cleft lip wasn't impacting my health, surgery wasn't necessary. However, it deeply affected my self-esteem."
One of Maryan's relatives discovered Kalkaal Hospital in Mogadishu and convinced her parents of the benefits of cleft treatment. Maryan traveled to Kalkaal and received the cleft surgery that changed her life, thanks to Smile Train.
"I feel like a new person. I can finally go to school, and I am so happy."
Academic Excellence
Top Student
Mother & Daughter
Healed Together
Fadumo & Nasro
Mother & Daughter, Cleft Surgery Recipients
History Repeating Itself
Fadumo lived her entire life with a cleft. She often felt painfully self-conscious in public. When she gave birth to Nasro, her seventh child, she was crushed to see her newborn baby girl also had a cleft.
"It felt like history repeating itself, only this time through my child," she says. "The thought of Nasro growing up with a cleft was agonizing. I could already feel the weight of the struggles she might endure."
Nasro was a shy young girl, preferring to stay inside and avoid the stares and laughter of other children. "Nasro would question me about her different lips, and each time, it broke my heart a little more," Fadumo says.
Fadumo and Nasro received their cleft surgeries on the exact same day. For both mother and daughter, Smile Train-sponsored care proved to be a life-changing gift.
"I enrolled Nasro in school and seeing her thrive there fills me with indescribable joy. She plays freely with her peers, her cleft now just a distant memory."
Omar
Cleft Surgery Recipient
Hidden No More
Omar was the only one of his nine siblings to be born with a cleft. His parents hid him away in their house, fearing the discrimination he would face in their community even as an infant.
"Feeding him was a struggle, and frequent hospital visits strained us financially," his mother says.
However, when Omar was three months old, a neighbor heard about Kalkaal Hospital in Mogadishu and mentioned it to the family. Almost immediately, Omar's parents took him for cleft treatment, hoping to provide him with the best future possible.
Omar received Smile Train-sponsored cleft surgery on his lip at three months, and on his palate at 11 months.
"After my son's surgery, I felt a weight lifted off my shoulders," his mother recalls.
Today, Omar is a smiley seven-year-old who loves to play with his friends. He does not remember ever having a cleft.
Happy Seven-Year-Old
Loves Playing with Friends
Our Impact
Through partnerships with Smile Train and the dedication of our medical team, we've transformed thousands of lives in Somalia.
Cleft Heroes
Patients treated
Vaccinations
Hepatitis B & C
Hospital Beds
Quality care facilities
Partner Surgeons
International specialists
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