Rohit, his parents, Akash and Vanit, and his younger sister, Neha live in a small hut that measures just 5 feet by 7 feet. Unbelievable as it may seem, the room is also shared by his grandmother, aunts and cousins.

When Rohit was born, his parents were horrified to see their baby’s deformed face – their joy turned to sorrow. The doctor told the family that the cleft could be repaired, but at a cost that was more than a full year’s pay for his father.

In school, Rohit was the only child with a cleft lip. The children immediately teased and taunted him for being different, called him names, and told him he should be hidden away.

But a ray of hope entered Rohit’s life when an Anganwadi worker told his family about The Smile Train’s local program which offered state of-the-art surgical treatment absolutely free.

Last May, Rohit successfully underwent cleft repair surgery at our partner hospital in Maharashtra, Western India and returned home as a changed person.

As he walked back to his neighborhood with his mother, he began to sprint home in sheer excitement of showing the results of his surgery to his friends and the rest of his family. This once-shy boy is now charged with tremendous positive energy and beams at everyone with his brand-new smile!