Merdat. Giving back to the community through creativity, activity, and service.

Transcription

1 Merdat Giving back to the community through creativity, activity, and service. C CREATIVITY Exploring new ideas, which results in the creation of a new product or performance A ACTIVITY Physical exertion that contributes to a healthy lifestyle. What is Operation Smile? Founded in 1982, Operation Smile is a non-profit organization that provides free surgeries for people with cleft lips and palates in developing countries. Plastic surgeon Dr. Magee and his wife, nurse and social worker Kathy Magee, founded the organization after participating in a medical mission in the Philippines. After seeing the monumental impact that the mission had on the fortunate few that received their medical attention, they decided to found the organization in order to expand this impact on a more global scale. Now, there are over 600 OpSmile student programs around the world that hope to increase the organization s influence, one of which is held here in the ICS community. 1 S SERVICE Collaborative engagement with the community in response to a need.

2 What are Cleft Lips & Palates? People often wrongly interchange the use of the terms cleft lips and cleft palates. These conditions are actually very distinguishable, both visually and if more closely examined. Cleft Lips A cleft lip can be identified by a detachment of the two sides of their upper lip. This detachment can come in varying lengths, and can sometimes even reach a nostril. The separation is not only of the skin, but also includes the bone and tissue structures that make up the lips and mouth. palate or the softer section which is found further back in the roof. Did you know? - Cleft lips and palates are the result of Trisomy 13, a defect found in chromosome In the U.S., cleft lips are the fourth most common birth defect[s]. - Children with cleft lips and palates often have trouble eating and speaking clearly. - Surgical Repair is usually recommended during the first 18months of child s life - Most cleft lips and palates are a result of alcohol and drug abuse during pregnancy Cleft Palates A cleft palate, on the other hand, can be identified by a detachment in the roof of the mouth rather than the lip. Cleft palates come in a wide variety of manners, as they can affect the bony, hard section of the 2

3 Operation Smile in Ethiopia ICS raise approximately 13,000 to 15,000 ETB to cover all costs. Money is generally raised through a multitude of fundraising events such as Middle School Socials, bake sales and even donations. Missions in Ethiopia Every year since 2005, Operation Smile has hosted multiple missions in cities across Ethiopia, including Aksum, Addis Ababa, Jimma and Mek ele. 25 medical missions have been conducted in Ethiopia thus far for more than 1900 patients with cleft lip, palettes and other facial deformities. Not only has this been done, but Operation has provided training and education programs to reinforce medical capacity in Ethiopia. In 2012, Operation Smile created a partnership with Jimma University Specialized Hospital to implement comprehensive training programs. Operation Smile in ICS The HS Operation Smile in ICS was launched in March 2015 by a group of 10th grade students whose initiative was to raise as much money as possible for as many operations as possible. During the school year, the Operation Smile club was able to raise more than 75,000 ETB. This is enough to sponsor 5 surgeries. Some of the efforts that allowed them to achieve such a high level of fundraising were: -Bake sales: During High School lunch time, the Operation Smile club hosted various bake sales where they sold baked goods, drinks, and candy. Typically, one operation lasts 45 minutes and costs as little as 240 USD. At ICS, we work to raise money for a minimum of five Operations a year. We also aim to cover the costs of transportation, housing and such for each child thus leading us to - Middle School events: Operation Smile worked with the MS Student Council to host a Valentine s Day and Spring social, and this year a Halloween Social. All of 3

4 them hope for the future. I was also interested in the possibility of seeing the operations take place and witnessing the faces of the kids after they wake up, excited to reenter their old lives as new people. the profits were given to Operation Smile. This also allowed the club to raise awareness among the MS student body. - Charity Walk & Run: While the profits from this event were not given to Operation Smile, the club helped with the planning of the event and set up an awareness both where many parents and people outside of the ICS community were able to learn about Operation Smile and its impact. What are the club s goals for the semester? The goals for the remainder of this year are to organize a variety of fundraising activities aimed at raising money to help pay for the children s operations. Some of these events include the Middle School Valentine s Day Social as well as the schoolwide Walk and Run charity event. We aim to raise a minimum of 60,000 ETB to help pay for these surgeries. Talking to the Leader As of November 2016, the Operation Smile club has been taken over by a new leadership team, led by a new president, 11th grader Rachael Tessema. We took some time to sit and talk to her about Operation Smile and its global impact from her perspective. What has been your favorite part about being part of the club? I love the group of people that I work with. They all have humanitarian spirits and care about these kids, and it makes me feel good that we are doing something to help others. Why do you think Operation Smile is important to Ethiopia? Operation Smile is important to Ethiopia because there are people in the rural areas who have children with cleft palates, and they are completely unaware that there are services such as this one. Since the surgery is life-changing for these children, it is so important that they are identified and helped. Since families cannot afford such surgery, this service group is important because it helps support these families. Why did you join Operation Smile? I have always been interested in the life sciences - subjects like Biology and Chemistry. I joined because this was a group that focused on something that I truly found intriguing and wanted to be a part of. When I think about the kids and how difficult their lives are, I feel that I want to help. These kids have their whole lives ahead of them and I want to be a part of something that transforms their lives for the better and give 4

5 Operation Smile Student Programs What would you say to someone that is considering joining the club? Join! It s a great way to get involved with the community and many events around the school. In addition, you ll be making a lifechanging impact on children. It s great for CAS, and there are many leadership roles opening up in the future! Operation Smile has been one of the best CAS project I have joined. I found the members to be fun and at the same time I was able to do something that could change the lives of multiple children. I would strongly encourage others to join! - Mireille Ntab Talking to the Members As one of the founding members and previous leaders of Operation Smile, I am proud of how far the club has come. The organization has taught ICS students so much about significant global issues, such as barriers to safe healthcare access in developing nations, and has opened our eyes to the impact that we as students can have on so many lives. I really hope more people join and learn more about the organization s monumental impact! I am a member of Gursha, and we sometimes work with Operation Smile to help them raise money for events. Last year, during the walk and run, we sold food and gave Operation Smile the proceeds. I really enjoyed working with Operation Smile and coming up with ideas to make this event successful. -Yewubdar Zeleke -Abigail Mengistu 5

6 Making an Impact: What YOU Can Do Students 1) Making donations: Operation Smile has been known to hold clothing drives and has put up multiple donation boxes around campus. 2) Looking out for Operation Smile held events Operation Smile often has bake sales and has hosted socials for the Middle School student body, you can easily make a difference by purchasing at these bake sales or volunteering and even attending the socials. 3) Joining the group High school students- You are always welcome to join, meetings take place on Mondays from 3:30-4:30. Middle school students- The High School Operation Smile club strongly encourages that you take initiative and start your own Operation Smile club, to support and collaborate with the High School club. Parents 1) Making Donations: Operation Smile really appreciate donations seeing as they not only help pay for operations, but help fund events as well. Donations do not only have to be monetary but can be in the form of: -clothing -food (for bake sales and socials) -supplies (toiletries, cooking supplies) 2) Looking out for Operation Smile held events Operation smile tends to host bake sales and parents are always free to stop by for a quick treat. 3) Raising Awareness Spreading the word by talking to your kids, colleagues and family members about the cause. The more well known the cause is, the greater the impact. Contacting the Operation Smile club: President: rachael.tessema@icsaddis.edu.et V.P. : elshaday.berhanu@icsaddis.edu.et 6

7 Quiz Time! Now that you ve learned a little about Operation Smile and how the ICS student body has supported its causes, let s see how much you remember! Q: When and by who was Operation Smile founded? Q: What is the Difference between Cleft Palates and Cleft Lips? Q: What are Cleft Palates or Lips a result of? Merdat Trivia Q: How many missions has Operation Smile hosted in Ethiopia? Q: How much money did the ICS High School Operation Smile club raise over the course of the school year? Q: What are some of the consequences of having a Cleft Palate? Q: How many cases of Cleft Palates or Lips are there in Ethiopia? Q: In what 3 cities has Operation Smile hosted a mission in? 7

8 Word Search Cleft Kathy Magee Operation Lips Trisomy Smile Operation Smile Palate Rachael 8

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