Celebrating 25: New Milestones, New Impact, New Opportunities to Change the World
![Smile Train 25 : transformation des vies et des soins de fente dans le monde entier depuis 25 ans](/sites/default/files/styles/3_2__720x480/public/2024-04/25-logo-header.jpg?itok=Vri0EPrp)
2 Million and Counting
Thanks to our dedicated supporters and global network of dedicated local partners, we have officially surpassed our two millionth cleft surgery. What an incredible way to celebrate our 25th year!
The story of this milestone starts in a tiny river village in South Sumatra, Indonesia, with Alim and his son Rajib.
Alim, age 50, had to drop out of school in first grade due to unrelenting bullying. It pained him to see his son suffer like he did, even if, at 10 years old, he still insisted on not dropping out.
Smile Train Images
![Rajib avant la chirurgie de la fente](/sites/default/files/styles/5_4__760x608/public/2024-05/rajib-close-before.jpg?itok=YPtaAQ0-)
![Alim avant la chirurgie de la fente](/sites/default/files/styles/5_4__760x608/public/2024-05/alim-before.jpg?itok=VSY7cLwX)
![Rajib avant l'intervention chirurgicale de la fente](/sites/default/files/styles/5_4__760x608/public/2024-05/rajib-school.jpg?itok=_xcSn0bF)
![Alim avant l'intervention chirurgicale de la fente](/sites/default/files/styles/5_4__760x608/public/2024-05/alim-fish.jpg?itok=Up8TGKDu)
![Alim et Rajib souriant avec leur famille avant la chirurgie de la fente](/sites/default/files/styles/5_4__760x608/public/2024-05/alim-rajib-whole-family.jpg?itok=bRECgt5E)
Then, in February 2024, hope came to their isolated village donning a camouflage uniform. The Indonesian Army arrived with the news the family had spent the past half century praying for: Alim and Rajib could both get free cleft surgery at their nearest hospital, and one of them would receive Smile Train’s two millionth cleft surgery. The whole world was going to hear their story and marvel at their new smiles.
“Rajib should be two million,” Alim insisted. “I will be the two-million-and-first.”
Journey and hospital gallery
![Un soldat indonésien saluant Alim avant sa chirurgie de la fente](/sites/default/files/styles/5_4__760x608/public/2024-05/alim-babinsa.jpg?itok=4A6eERUL)
![Alim et Rajib naviguant en bateau avec leur famille vers le centre de traitement avant la chirurgie de la fente](/sites/default/files/styles/5_4__760x608/public/2024-05/speedboat-to-care.jpg?itok=vI4jJ6Np)
![Alim souriant et assis à côté de Rajib dans une fourgonnette](/sites/default/files/styles/5_4__760x608/public/2024-05/on-bus.jpg?itok=L_-uGD2B)
![Alim tendant la main vers Rajib dans le centre de traitement avant leurs chirurgies de la fente](/sites/default/files/styles/5_4__760x608/public/2024-05/in-hospital-bed.jpg?itok=mOtDZIHC)
![Des soldats indonésiens souriant et donnant des tapes dans la main à Rajib alors qu'il se regarde dans le miroir après sa chirurgie de la fente](/sites/default/files/styles/5_4__760x608/public/2024-04/rajib-seeing-himself-after-cleft-lip-palate-surgery.jpg?itok=Jmtnv3S7)
Two million cleft surgeries is more than every other charity combined. Smile Train reached this milestone in just 25 years thanks to our unique, sustainable model of empowering local healthcare workers around the world to provide high-quality, free cleft treatment to their neighbors in need — no matter how remote — and generous gifts from people like you who understand that smiles change lives.
As we celebrate 25 years of lighting up the world with smiles, we know that another baby with a cleft is born every three minutes. And there are still more than a million more people just like Rajib and Alim waiting for the care that will turn their cleft into a second chance at life.