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About Raghav Krishna and Madhav Krishna

Dubai based Brothers Raghav Krishna (age 11) and Madhav Krishna (age 9) are Youth Ambassadors of SmileTrain, Dubai. High achievers in academics and numerous extra-curricular activities, they are not only Mental Math Champions and Environmentalists but also Young Philanthropists with a proven track record and sincere passion to transform the lives of Children of Determination, Refugee Children, Homeless Orphans, Visually Impaired and poor children suffering from Cleft.

Raghav Krishna is a winner of the prestigious Diana Award in 2021 from the UK which is the highest humanitarian award that a young person can get for their humanitarian efforts and social causes, the coveted Hamdan Award in 2021 (H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Distinguished Student in grade 6-12 category – 23rd Cycle), Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Award 2020 from the Consulate General of India, Dubai & Indian Ambassador to UAE and Young Philanthropist Award 2019 from Dubai Cares.

Madhav Krishna has won the Outstanding Achiever Award at school in 2021, UAE National level first rank in Ignited Mind labs Mental Math competition in 2021, UAE National level first rank / gold medal in Mathematics Olympiad conducted by IOF, UAE in 2021/2022, International Champion at the UCMAS International Abacus and Mental Arithmetic competition in Cambodia in 2019.

About the Cleft problem

 1 in 700 babies are born with a cleft lip and/or palate globally.

 Clefts cause difficulties in eating, breathing, hearing, and speaking.

What are Cleft Lips and Palates?

A cleft occurs when certain body parts and structures do not fuse together during fetal development. Clefts can involve the lip and/or the roof of the mouth, which is made up of both hard and soft palate.

How common are Clefts?

Research indicates that ethnicity plays a major role in the risk of Cleft formation. Experts opine that the highest cleft incidences are among Asians (approximately 1 in 500 births). Caucasians have an average incidence of 1 in 700 births and people of African descent have the lowest incidence of approximately 1 in 1,200 births.

What causes Cleft?

As per medical experts, the causes of cleft lip and/or palate are multifactorial and may include a genetic predisposition as well as environmental issues such as drug and alcohol use, smoking, maternal illness, infections, or lack of Vitamin B, also known as folic acid.

Can clefts be treated?

Reconstructive surgery for clefts has evolved over more than half a century, and today’s techniques and procedures have advanced so much. Currently the Cleft surgery is simple which can take as little as 45 minutes, and the positive transformation is immediate. Patients see their smile for the first time, parents cry tears of joy, and lives and communities are changed forever for the good.

About SMILE TRAIN

Smile Train is the world’s largest cleft-focused organization, with a sustainable and local model of supporting surgery and other forms of essential care by supporting its partners to provide 100% free cleft surgeries to Cleft affected children globally by operating all 365 days a year. Over the last 20+ years, it has supported safe and quality cleft care for 1.5+ million children by:

 Locating the children in need

 Empowering local medical professional

 Providing comprehensive cleft care

 Leveraging Technology to Create Smiles

Synopsis of Smile Train’s Impact globally

Our fundraising initiative

For as little as 1,000 AED, a child with a cleft can have a chance to live a normal life and childhood by a life transforming and safe surgery. Please view our appeal YouTube video below that has a shadow puppet show.

We appeal to you to liberally donate in our campaign as much as you can.

Your generous donation will go straight to Smile Train, Dubai.

Your generous donation can change a poor child’s life forever in the MENA Region.

Please join us and change the world one smile at a time.

Please follow us on Instagram @always.determined for further updates

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