MTN-backed free cleft lip surgery changing lives

Laurien Gahimana, 18, hardly remembers a day he wasn’t laughed at because of the state of his lips.The pupils in his school and everyone else used to make fun of him because he was born with cleft lips.Cleft lips refers to a separation of the two sides of the lip, which may include the upper jaw bone; while a cleft palate is an opening of the mouth because the two sides of the palate haven’t joined properly.A cleft lip is formed in the top of the lip as either a small gap or an indentation in the lip (partial or incomplete cleft) or it continues into the nose (complete cleft).Gahimana says he was born with this condition that has made his life hell.“Pupils would call me names and laugh at me because of the way my lips looked. I used to feel ugly and not fit to be amidst other people. Even when I am walking along the streets I hear people whispering of how funny I look and laughing at me but my life will change today,” he said.Gahimana, who is a primary four pupil at Kavumu Primary School, says that after the operation he was confident no one would laugh at him again.He added that he was now eager to return to school with his new look.The 18-year old is confident to pursue his studies and says he is no longer afraid to go to school or anywhere else because he is now going to look normal like other people.Aimable Turinamahirwe, 22, a student at Mutara Polytechnique, is another beneficiary of the free cleft lips surgery.Yesterday, he was going in for his second surgery and was eagerly looking forward to seeing his new cleft lip-free face.Doctor Imaculee Kamanzi, who works in the department of Stomatologie at Kigali Central Teaching Hospital (CHUK), said there are no current statistics on the state of the cleft lip condition in the country.She, however, added that a study is currently being carried out in different districts across the country.Dr. Aime Lokulutu Boongo, the Regional Director of Operation Smile, Central Africa, said they intend to operate on around 186 patients.Operation Smile is present in thirteen countries across Africa, but has been operating in Rwanda since 2009.“Ever since our inception in Rwanda, we have so far carried out over 541 free surgeries to Rwandan children and adults. We hope to operate on over 180 people this time round,” Boongo said.He added they intend to be here for a week, and help the Rwandan people with cleft lips to get back their smiles.MTN Rwanda is among the partners behind these operations and, yesterday, they handed over a cheque of US$30,000 to facilitate the operations. MTN’s Senior Manager Legal and Corporate Affairs, Paul Mugemangango, said the gesture was part of their Corporate Social Responsibility activities of giving back to the Rwandan Community.‘This is the third year we are working with Operation Smile to help the people with this condition,” Mugemangango said.Operation Smile is also supported by the Ministry of Health, Operation Smile South Africa (OSSA), World Vision, Banque Populaire du Rwanda and STIPP Hotels.

National

MTN-backed free cleft lip surgery changing lives