About STAAN

Our Purpose

Smile Train Africa Alumni Network (STAAN) exists to connect and empower cleft care professionals across Africa — surgeons, anesthetists, nurses, nutritionists, orthodontists, speech therapists, and more — who are committed to advancing safe, sustainable, and comprehensive cleft care within their communities.

The network fosters peer support, professional development, and opportunities for members to exchange innovative ideas, research, and best practices that directly improve patient outcomes.

Our Story

Smile Train’s “teach a person to fish” model has helped more than 170 surgeons in Africa advance their surgical and multidisciplinary cleft care capabilities, creating a strong pipeline of experts who are now leaders in their fields.

This gave rise to STAAN: a community of professionals connected across borders to share skills, mentor one another, and strengthen cleft care across Africa.

Today, STAAN reflects the power of local leadership in action. It’s a community built by Africans for Africans to transform cleft care on the continent for generations to come

Join the STAAN Community

STAAN continues to grow, bringing together dedicated professionals united by their passion for improving cleft care and empowering the next generation of African health leaders.

If you are a Smile Train–supported alumnus and would like to join the network, connect with us through your local Smile Train program manager on Africa@smiletrain.org.