What are the opening hours?

Monday 9am - 5:30pm Tuesday 9am - 5:30pm Wednesday 9am - 5:30pm Thursday 9am - 5:30pm Friday 9am - 5:30pm

Operation Smile UK

Home
United Kingdom
London
Operation Smile UK

Directions Website

We’re grateful to medical volunteers, partners and generous supporters.

Children's medical charity providing free, safe surgery to children born with cleft conditions in more than 35 countries around the world where healthcare is harder to access.

28/10/2026

Hazel is beginning a new chapter with a smile his family had long hoped for. After traveling from Nairobi with his mother, Dorcas, he received care through one of our surgical programmes in Mombasa. From the moment Dorcas learned her son qualified for surgery, she was filled with hope for his future.

Today, Hazel’s new smile has brought joy to the entire family – a moment they once could only imagine. Thanks to the support of our volunteers, donors and partners, more children like Hazel, in Kenya and around the world, can access the care they need. 😁

27/10/2026

“I’m retired, but not tired!”

Nurse Florence Mangula, also known as Mama Africa, has been volunteering for Operation Smile for over three decades, and she shows no sign of stopping any time soon.

In the post-anesthesia care unit, Mama Africa monitors patients as they recover, comforting children and reassuring families. She also mentors fellow health care providers, helping strengthen surgical teams so that more people can access the life-changing cleft care they need.

We’re so grateful to Mama Africa and all our amazing medical volunteers in Kenya, Africa, and around the world.

22/10/2026

Calling all bakers 📢

We've got a brand-new fundraising campaign, and we'd love for you to get involved! 🍰

Bake a Smile invites people across the UK to host your own coffee and cake event – in your office, school, community centre, or even your front garden. What better way to celebrate World Smile Day than by hosting an event during October to celebrate?

Every cake sold will help give a child a new smile. 😁

Set up your own JustGiving page and request a fundraising pack here:
💙 https://bit.ly/3TSymdj

21/10/2026

Meet the wonderful Mama Africa. 💙💙💙

Behind every surgery is a nurse making care possible, from preparing patients to supporting recovery and ensuring safe, high-quality outcomes.

Nurse Florence Mangula brings this impact to life. A long-term volunteer from Kenya, she has supported surgical care across Africa for more than 30 years.

It’s great to see her in action, and we’ll bring you more from Mama Africa as she explains her role in Operation Smile.

20/10/2026

In Kenya, thousands of children are born with cleft conditions each year, yet many families face barriers to accessing healthcare. Distance, financial cost, and shortages of local trained health workers can make it difficult for families to access care when they need it.
Operation Smile is proud to have provided high-quality surgical care to over 10,000 patients in the country since we started working there in 1987.

And as part of our Operation 100 vision, we’re bringing care closer to home by investing in local health workers and strengthening regional hospitals. We’re excited to share some of our patient and volunteer stories with you, including some incredible videos.

Watch this space for more! 💙

17/10/2026

For little Ihan, being born with a cleft lip and palate affected some of the most basic things a baby needs to do – including feeding.

His mum, Carla, struggled to breastfeed him, and despite trying every way she could to get breastmilk into him, Ihan kept losing weight. Eventually, Carla was no longer able to produce milk herself, and the months that followed were incredibly difficult for them both.

The Operation Smile Colombia team supported Carla in her efforts to feed Ihan, help him gain weight and prepare for the care he needed.

By the time he arrived at the hospital in Riohacha, he was a happy, curious little boy taking his first unsteady steps.

Then came the moment Carla had been waiting for.

Ihan was strong and healthy enough to be approved for cleft lip surgery, and the following morning he was taken into the operating room. Less than an hour later, he was waking up in his mum’s arms.

For Carla, the tears came again – but this time, they were tears of joy. 💙

Ihan will need further surgery for his cleft palate, but this was a wonderful step on his cleft repair journey and we’re delighted to continue to support them both.

15/10/2026

Meet Morgan, Malawi’s first qualified speech language therapist and Operation Smile volunteer. 🖤❤️💚

Surgical programmes bring specialist medical volunteers together from around the world to deliver cleft surgery and comprehensive care. But for Operation Smile, the work doesn’t stop when the surgical team goes home.

Building local capacity through training, education and skills sharing is just as important – helping healthcare professionals develop specialist expertise and strengthening access to care for the future.

It’s fascinating to hear Morgan’s experience. Read more about his journey on our website... 💙
https://www.operationsmile.org.uk/stories/meet-malawis-first-qualified-speech-therapist/

14/10/2026

If ever you need a reason to bake a cake, here it is! Whether you’ve been inspired by the Great British Bake Off, you need an excuse for a get together, or you’ve always wanted to run a fundraising event, now’s your chance!

Bake a Smile invites people across the UK to host their own coffee and cake event – in your office, school, community centre, or even your front garden.

Every cake sold will help give a child like Adolphe in Rwanda a new smile. 😁

What better way to celebrate World Smile Day than by hosting an event during October to celebrate?

More info in the comments 🍰🍰🍰

13/10/2026

For one-year-old Ihan, getting cleft surgery meant a long journey – and a lot of courage from his mum, Carla. 💙

Living in La Guajira, Colombia, Carla discovered during pregnancy that her baby had a cleft lip and palate. After Ihan was born, feeding was difficult and he struggled to gain weight.

With support from the Operation Smile Colombia team, Ihan was able to travel to Riohacha for the care he needed.

While they waited, Clowns Without Borders brought some much-needed laughter to the hospital. Ihan squeezed their red noses, played with the performers and gave his mum a reason to smile too.

Then his name was called.

Ihan was approved for surgery, and the following morning he underwent cleft lip surgery. Less than an hour later, he was waking up in his mum’s arms.

For Carla, there were tears once again – this time, tears of joy. 💙

Ihan will need further care for his cleft palate, but this was an important step for him and his family.

09/10/2026

We love being able to share photos of patients after their surgery. 💙 It’s wonderful to see young Adolphe in Rwanda doing so well.

In Rwanda, like many other countries, often families affected by cleft conditions don’t know that surgery is even possible. Operation Smile is determined to bring cleft surgery and care within reach for many more children like Adolphe.

If you’re in the UK, why not take part in our Bake a Smile fundraiser to help us transform more lives, one smile at a time.

Find more info in the comments. 🍰

Address

Genoa House, Juniper Drive
London
SW181FY

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5:30pm
Tuesday	9am - 5:30pm
Wednesday	9am - 5:30pm
Thursday	9am - 5:30pm
Friday	9am - 5:30pm

Website

http://www.operationsmile.org.uk/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Operation Smile UK posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.