Our Mission

We partner locally and innovate globally so that children and families in under-resourced communities access Comprehensive Cleft Care.

Our Vision

Our vision is for all children affected by cleft lip and palate to experience full rehabilitation and community inclusion with the support of a trusted local health team.

Our Approach

1. Provide comprehensive care to children born with cleft, so they can thrive at home, at school and in their communities.

2. Support families to help every child realize their full potential.

3. Build the capacity of local cleft teams worldwide.

About Cleft Lip and Palate

Cleft lip and palate is one of the world's most common birth anomalies, affecting one in 700 children worldwide. The condition typically impacts far more than just a child's physical appearance, also affecting their speech, hearing, nutrition and ability to develop and participate socially. 

Cleft lip and palate can be successfully treated using a comprehensive team approach. Transforming Faces goes beyond the initial cleft repair surgery to provide comprehensive care and rehabilitation services, including: speech therapy, feeding support for mothers and newborns, dental and orthodontic care, hearing support, ear, nose and throat (ENT) care, transportation assistance for low-income families from rural areas, psycho-social counselling to patients and families, community awareness initiatives, and more.  

About Transforming Faces (TF)

From a shared vision of caring and concern for others, Transforming Faces emerged in 1999 to improve the quality of long-term cleft care in the Global South by working alongside local partner organizations. 

Our comprehensive approach not only physically transforms faces, but also radically alters the trajectory of a child's life by allowing them to attend school, develop healthy relationships, start families and participate in society without the constant threat of discrimination and exclusion.

While surgery is important, it is just the beginning of the journey. In reality, cleft patients require years of treatments - including nutritional support for newborns, speech therapy, dental and orthodontic care, hearing assessments, counselling and more - which are rarely accessible or affordable in the contexts where we work. TF seeks to change that. 

Learn more at: transformingfaces.org