Provide Dental Care for 67,000 Bolivian Children!

Story with a Happy Ending:  Sweet 7-year-old Girl gets her "Tooth Holes" Fixed:

      Lydia is a sweet little girl with a "sweet tooth."  Lydia especially loves chocolate and would find a way to get candy at school. 

Background:  Theadora (age 59) and her daughter Lydia (age 7) live in a rural village called Montesillo outside Cochabamba, Bolivia.  They receive social services and after school daycare through a project called Warmi.

Here is their story with a happy ending, told by Theadora, Lydia's mother:

"This is the first time I have taken my daughter to a dentist because I am a single mother and only make my living by selling Chicha (homemade liquor) to local bars.  My daughter would cry about her teeth hurting, but I could only buy some medication at the store for her.

I am very excited for my daughter to see the dentist to fill all the holes in her teeth.  Before my daughter would buy chocolate and candy at school.  The bugs (bacteria?) in her mouth were living off of the candy.  Now she cannot buy candy and I make her brush her teeth.

I want to get my teeth worked on, too!

Update from Smiles Forever's Bolivian Dental Hygienist School's Outreach Program:

          Currently, our Smiles Forever supported Bolivian Dental Hygienist school continues to strengthen and build upon our community clinic and rural outreach work.  There are now 14 organizations, like the Warmi project which helped Lydia, that  we visit both in Cochabamba and in surrounding rural areas.  All these dental services can be provided free, thanks to the support from our GobalGiving friends like you.

Since our beginnings in 2000, we have been looking for ways to help the under-served in an ever-widening area around our dental hygienist school for young indigenous woman.  Many of our students, past and present, have come from the very shelters which we now go back and serve.  To date Smiles Forever estimates we have given 20,000 free treatments to the local area.  Our goal is to reach out to 7,000 more, particularly the vulnerable children, some who are crying from tooth decay pain like one of our newest patients, Lydia.  She's promising us and her mother to avoid candy and to brush her teeth, because Lydia doesn't want to live with constant pain again.

Sparkling Smiles at the Burn Center Christmas Party:

       We all went to  the holiday party at the burn center.  We have been treating severely burned children who live at this special center for many years. Everyone loves to come here and make a difference giving dental treatments to the children who have suffered so much already.  When these children can sport a sparkling smile after a dental treatment, it helps their image of themselves.  Not only does receiving dental treatments build self esteem, it also improves the overall health of the children to not be exposed to the threat of systemic bacterial infection.  Having tooth decay is a risky situation if a child's immune system is already working overtime, recovering from burns and the trauma of abandonment.  Bolivian children who are not perceived as perfect can be discarded as a burden on a household.  This burn center is a haven where the children find a new family.  We are happy to be a part of their extended family and love celebrating special occasions with them.

New Year Best Wishes from us to you!

    Muchas gracias for choosing us to help send a gift that keeps on giving.  Here in one of the poorest areas of Bolivia, we nevertheless see hope for 2015 when you include us in your gift card, and other special season's greetings to your family and friends. 

I'd also like to thank all of our Anonymous donors.  You are Superstars & you helped our organization receive Superstar ranking in 2014.  You are so much appreciated, and sometimes I feel I don't get to express our gratitude enough to all the humble Mr. & Mrs. & Ms. Anonymous friends we have.

Our original  project is "Send a Homeless Bolivian  Woman to School for a Year," (7925) key word Bolivia and then look for the Smiles Forever logo, or try www.globalgiving.org/7925 to see more pictures and stories. 

The Whirlwind World of Fast-Paced Youthspark Microprojects:  Vania & Marcela down to the last 17 days!

 From time to time we also feature micro-projects through Youthspark.  Our students Vania & Marcela have received wonderful exposure and backing.  Their projects will end in 17 days, and they both still need a few thousand dollars for their school year. We shout out a fond thank you to Microsoft and their employees, and the corporate gift card programs from over 60 companies.  We cannot do what we do without you!

800 Bolivians Help Fund Dental Care for Thousands of Their Indigenous Children!

Smiles Forever's dedication of bringing dental care for 14 years to the indigenous community has been recognized.  The work of the outreach program from the dental hygienist school for over a decade has been rewarded with help from the Cochabamba community.  VIP magazine wrote an article about the astounding good & generous dental care being given as a key part of the dental school outreach.  80 chefs served 800 dinners to benefit Smiles Forever. How wonderful it is to have our local Bolivians rally to serve the underserved who live among us.

Bolivian Benefit Assures a Stream of Supplies for our Outreach Clinics

Our school director recently estimated we have helped bring dental care and treatment to over 20,000, and we have been helping the broader community since almost day one.  Our goal is to keep this charity outreach going strong to help the next 7,000 indigenous children.  With your help we can not only keep up the good work, but go even farther.  We hope to go back to the surrounding areas outside the core of Cochabamba and into the villages.

Fabiola, Paola, myself Sandy the Founder/ Director of Smiles Forever, Jobanna, & Aracelly Thank You!

I thought you would enjoy seeing a picture of me & some of my students all dressed up and attending a Women's Tea.  Part of what our mission is about is to bring confidence to these young women.  These are some of the wonderful hygienists-in-training who go out and introduce the children to the idea & practice of good dental health.

Adele Helps a Teen-aged Girl at the Burn Clinic

As you can tell from the picture of Adele and her patient, there is a caring bond between them.  This teenaged girl was severely burned--this happens way too often in a country where much of the population cooks on open fires.  Someday there may be a next chapter in this girl's life.  If things work out, and if there is financial backing for her, this burn survivor could come to our hygienist school.  What a difference that educational opportunity would make--particularly because it may be hard for her to find a husband because of her scars. 

Stories from Our Patients

We are now beginning the process of collecting stories from some of those thousands we see.  Children like to share how excited they are to see us.  Sometimes these children marvel at even handling a toothbrush.  These are children who are not watching TV with commercials about every possible thing available in the modern world.

They take our little plastic mirrors and their toy animals and try to brush the teeth of the stuffed animals--emulating our treatment.  These children are practicing what we preach!  "What about me!" Everyone says because they all want to take part.  Afterwards, they take their little mirrors and smile and look handsome or glamourous and exclaim, "Don't I look pretty (bonita)!"

Invitation to Join our December Month-long Global Giving Campaign

Coming in December, look for this key project "Fund Dental Care for 7,000 Indigenous Children (#17607)" as part of GlobalGiving's holiday campaign to encourage recurring givers.  The bar is raised high to win monetary prizes from $3,000 to $500.  The prizes are awarded for either most unique donors or most money raised & many runner-up levels are awarded, too.  We have to have 30 unique donors and a minimum of $3,000 raised during the 31 days of December. (Plan on donating with PayPal or debit/credit card for ease.  Also, you may send in a check if it is cleared by December 23rd.  Other donations like gift cards or text donations don't qualify during this giving window.

Mark your reminder calendars for Dec. 1st - Dec. 31st.  Tell your family and friends, and join us in this great funding opportunity.  We would be honored to have you on our team!