Cape Town – Two local students have described their experiences during a medical mission for Operation Smile in Nampula, Mozambique, as the opportunity of a lifetime.
Zoë Prinsloo, a Grade 11 learner at Edgemead High School, and Jenelle van der Merwe, a BA student at Pearson Institute, spent 10 days as volunteers on the mission.
They looked after and entertained the children, ran errands and did educational talks on dental care and the importance of washing hands.
They also collected toothbrushes, bubbles, stickers and toys for the children. To top everything, they also got the opportunity to go and watch one of the operations being performed.
Operation Smile is a global organisation that provides free cleft lip/palate operations for children (and adults).
This year, medical volunteers from 10 different countries came together to give about 70 patients their smiles.
Operation Smile, student and chapter co-ordinator Fiola Lujabe said: “Student volunteers are the creators of the patients first friendship by spending time with them in the waiting area.”
Prinsloo’s relationship with the organisation goes back two years.
As a member of the Girl Guides, she was involved in a massive bottle top drive during which they collected three tons and raised enough money to fund three operations and set a world record for the longest string of plastic bottle tops in October 2017.
"Being given the chance to attend this mission with Operation Smile was an incredible, life-changing experience that I will never forget.
"I'm so glad that I got to help make this experience in the patients' lives more enjoyable and I sincerely hope to go on more missions in the future,” said Prinsloo.
Van der Merwe is a close friend of Prinsloo’s and jumped at the opportunity to accompany her.
“It was such an amazing opportunity and it was nothing like I expected it would be. I loved meeting all the patients and the other volunteers. I hope I get the opportunity to go on another mission soon.”
Schools wanting to know more about Operation Smile and how they can get involved can contact Fiola on [email protected]