Madagascar Operations Smile: Two Sisters
27 images Created 15 Feb 2016
Text by Alison Smyth, Operation Smile Volunteer
I was greeted by Dest and Rosoa outside their rural village in Ambodijara, Madagascar, on a hot, summer day — several weeks prior to Operation Smile’s medical mission in Tamatave. I was there to meet two of the couple’s daughters, 6-year-old Vaviroa and 2-year-old Nambina — both born with a cleft — and document what would become a life-changing experience for the two girls and their family. There village was neatly tucked in a valley of rolling hills about a 40-minute walk from the nearest dirt road, I couldn’t help but think how incredibly beautiful our surroundings were: Huge, tropical trees with bright green leaves. One-room houses crafted entirely from palm trees.
We approached the couple’s humble home and were greeted by Vaviroa and Nambina — both smiling and anxiously awaiting our introduction. The sisters were shy yet serious, and from the beginning their devotion and love for each other were obvious. Dest and Rosoa were devastated when their second daughter, Vaviroa, was born with a cleft lip. When Vaviroa reached 6 weeks old, the family walked three hours to the nearest hospital for her required vaccinations. To their surprise, they learned that surgery to repair her cleft lip was possible, but they also knew they could never afford it. Several years passed. Fortunately, Vaviroa had no difficulty feeding despite her cleft, and was a strong, healthy baby. But when Vaviroa was 4, Rosoa gave birth to their third daughter, Nambina. Nambina also had a cleft lip. Rosoa and Dest couldn’t understand why this was happening to their family. With two little girls with cleft lips, Rosoa could hardly bear to look at the other mothers with their babies and their perfect mouths — and she became deeply depressed.
In 2013, the couple learned about an Operation Smile medical mission in Antananarivo, the capital city, about a 12 hour journey from their village. They were devastated to realize that they had no money for the transportation to get them there. They feared that they had missed their only chance.
In August this year, Rosoa and Dest learnt that Operation Smile was coming to Tamatave, the nearest major city about 170 miles away. Neither Dest nor Rosoa had ever been to the big city, and both were terrified to travel there. Nevertheless, they knew this was their best chance to change their daughters’ lives forever.When the family arrived at the medical mission in Tamatave, they were visibly nervous — anxious to learn whether the two girls would receive surgery.
I was there when the two were notified: the girls would both receive surgery. And I was there when the girls were brought to their parents. These two beautiful girls weren’t the only patients to receive new smiles. The dedicated team of Operation Smile medical volunteers were able to provide 166 medical evaluations and 119 surgeries to children who desperately needed us. Each and every one of them can now look forward to a better future.
I was greeted by Dest and Rosoa outside their rural village in Ambodijara, Madagascar, on a hot, summer day — several weeks prior to Operation Smile’s medical mission in Tamatave. I was there to meet two of the couple’s daughters, 6-year-old Vaviroa and 2-year-old Nambina — both born with a cleft — and document what would become a life-changing experience for the two girls and their family. There village was neatly tucked in a valley of rolling hills about a 40-minute walk from the nearest dirt road, I couldn’t help but think how incredibly beautiful our surroundings were: Huge, tropical trees with bright green leaves. One-room houses crafted entirely from palm trees.
We approached the couple’s humble home and were greeted by Vaviroa and Nambina — both smiling and anxiously awaiting our introduction. The sisters were shy yet serious, and from the beginning their devotion and love for each other were obvious. Dest and Rosoa were devastated when their second daughter, Vaviroa, was born with a cleft lip. When Vaviroa reached 6 weeks old, the family walked three hours to the nearest hospital for her required vaccinations. To their surprise, they learned that surgery to repair her cleft lip was possible, but they also knew they could never afford it. Several years passed. Fortunately, Vaviroa had no difficulty feeding despite her cleft, and was a strong, healthy baby. But when Vaviroa was 4, Rosoa gave birth to their third daughter, Nambina. Nambina also had a cleft lip. Rosoa and Dest couldn’t understand why this was happening to their family. With two little girls with cleft lips, Rosoa could hardly bear to look at the other mothers with their babies and their perfect mouths — and she became deeply depressed.
In 2013, the couple learned about an Operation Smile medical mission in Antananarivo, the capital city, about a 12 hour journey from their village. They were devastated to realize that they had no money for the transportation to get them there. They feared that they had missed their only chance.
In August this year, Rosoa and Dest learnt that Operation Smile was coming to Tamatave, the nearest major city about 170 miles away. Neither Dest nor Rosoa had ever been to the big city, and both were terrified to travel there. Nevertheless, they knew this was their best chance to change their daughters’ lives forever.When the family arrived at the medical mission in Tamatave, they were visibly nervous — anxious to learn whether the two girls would receive surgery.
I was there when the two were notified: the girls would both receive surgery. And I was there when the girls were brought to their parents. These two beautiful girls weren’t the only patients to receive new smiles. The dedicated team of Operation Smile medical volunteers were able to provide 166 medical evaluations and 119 surgeries to children who desperately needed us. Each and every one of them can now look forward to a better future.
