Operation Smile South Africa will conduct its local surgical programme at the Rob Ferreira Hospital in Mbombela from 25 to 27 July 2025. The programme provides free, life-changing surgeries to children with cleft lip and palate conditions.
Image supplied.
This is the 15th local surgical programme made possible through Woolworths’ support, which began under MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet and now continues through the MyDifference programme.
Support
This year’s programme will be done in partnership with the Mpumalanga Department of Health and with the support of a team of 40 medical volunteers from throughout South Africa.
“We are enormously proud to be partnering with MyDifference and the Mpumalanga Department of Health to bring hope and healing to more children and families living with unrepaired cleft conditions,” says Sarah Scarth.
Since partnering with Woolworths and becoming a beneficiary of the retailer’s previous loyalty programme, MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet, in 2011, Operation Smile has provided reconstructive surgery and comprehensive care for approximately 500 people with cleft lip and cleft palate across South Africa.
“The Woolworths MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet programme has long empowered customers to support non-profit organisations (NPOs) like Operation Smile, along with schools and environmental causes, simply by swiping their card at till points — with Woolworths making the donation on their behalf.
“We’re proud that this much-loved initiative now continues under the give component of our new MyDifference programme, combining the power of giving with even greater personal rewards, value, and convenience”, confirms Mbuso Mlambo, head of loyalty and direct marketing at Woolworths.
Upskilling
Since its establishment in South Africa in 2006, Operation Smile has built a network of over 150 active volunteers, comprising cleft surgeons, nurses, anaesthetists, paediatricians, dentists, speech therapists, psychologists, biomedical staff and more.
They have travelled across South Africa and throughout sub-Saharan Africa to perform thousands of life-changing surgeries.
A key focus of the organisation is skills transfer, achieved through education and training for healthcare workers, both as part of and beyond the surgical programmes.
“Our long-term goal is to build sustainability, so that this specialised cleft care can happen in the public health system - whether we are there or not,” says Scarth.
Dental care
Dental support will be an additional feature of the upcoming Mbombela surgical programme.
The Rob Ferreira Hospital Oral Health team, supported by Operation Smile, will raise awareness about clefts and offer basic dental treatments like fillings, scale and polishes, extractions, dental restorations, fissure sealants and pulpotomies (root canals on baby teeth).
This will ensure that local children don’t need to miss school due to dental problems.
“Dental care is a vital part of the overall treatment plan for people with cleft conditions,” adds Scarth.
“Most people born with a cleft - and certainly all those born with a cleft palate - need dental treatment, because the whole jaw is affected. The more support we can provide, the more we can improve quality of life.”
