Cleft care in Uganda has come a long way. From exclusively focusing upon cleft surgical repair, a more holistic model that addresses the long-term needs of children and their families is emerging. Take Miriam, who 10 years ago had cleft surgery. Without access to comprehensive services, such as speech therapy, she struggled to communicate with family, friends and her teachers.

Since 2018, TF’s partnership with CoRSU Rehabilitation Hospital extends care to families such as Miriam’s, in villages far from Uganda’s capital. Now Miriam is able to access speech therapy, developing the skills to speak clearly and with confidence. Her infectious smile lights up her home and her school.

“After the operation we thought her speech would automatically improve. Her current situation does not cause her physical pain and therefore people think it is not a priority. Thank you Transforming Faces for prioritising speech therapy.”

Infants like 7-month-old Prosper can now benefit from the nutritional support required for a safe surgery. Prosper’s parents also received timely advice, counselling and transportation assistance to reach his appointments.

Empowering local communities to increase care for children and families in need of comprehensive cleft care is at the core of what we do. Thanks to our donors, we are thrilled to announce an important milestone for 2020: a new 3-year project with CoRSU to provide comprehensive cleft care to more Ugandan children and families.

To learn more about how cleft care is progressing in Uganda, check out Episode 4 of TF’s podcast, Caring for Cleft.