Educate Bolivian Mothers to be Dental Hygienists

Smiles Forever Believes in the Power of Women to Inspire Change

Our Philosophy in part states:

By giving indigenous women the life-changing opportunity to earn a two-year dental hygienist degree, Smiles Forever believes we are helping break the cycle of abuse and poverty. Both our students and our graduates model what positive changes women can make for themselves, their children, their families, their community, and yes even for their country.

We learn from our mothers:  our Founder Sandy Kemper learned so much about the spirit of giving and service from her mother Edwardine (Eddie) Robison.  None surpassed Eddie's work ethic.  Eddie showed Sandy how to be compassionate and generous in all ways with her time and Eddie constantly demonstrated showing kindness to others.  It was said of Eddie,  Your friend was her friend, and what she had she would gladly share.  How much Eddie's quiet passion to serve and improve the lives of everyone she touched is reflected in her daughter's mission.

Not surprisingly, this lively and tireless and caring woman loved traveling to Bolivia to see for herself.  She and her husband Sam would notice that the school or clinic needed expanding, and they would make it happen.  Sandy's parents would donate to purchase much needed equipment or even help buy a building to renovate into an ideal place for the at-cost public clinic.  What a wonderful legacy is passed on to everyone in the Smiles Forever family!

Vania Describes the Joys & Challenges of Treating Blind Patients--Our Clinic's Newest Clients

Hello My Friends:

Thanks to all the Smiles Forever supporters, now I’m starting a new stage in my training to become a dental hygienist. Finally the wait is over as I’m starting to do procedures and protocols on real patients…..it is more complicated than using the dental models, specially if they are kids and they move a lot …….I know that with my instructors help and guidance I will be able to overcome this difficult, but beautiful task. Also, I want to use these lines to thank anyone who has supported Smiles Forever.  It’s not only about one little project.  It's a bigger picture with so many things involved, like training us, giving us guidance about things like how to make a monthly budget to organize our private lives, helping children and adults in need and way much more. Since our clinic has a new group coming, it’s going to be my first time helping blind people. The new group Asociacion Vidas is composed of blind people and their families. Their ages vary from 10 to 60 years old which will be awesome for my training, but I am still a little nervous because the fact of working with blind people is different.  Even from helping them to walk into the clinic to making sure they leave or take the correct bus or help them to get other transportation requires planning and extra effort, but I am happy to do this for them.  I have to think how I’m going to explain home care techniques that are probably 80% visual to someone who cannot see, but we will make it together.

In my personal life I’m stable and my family situation it’s getting a little better and more stable. My boy, Mario, is now 4, and he is growing so fast and learning many things.  I know there is long way still,  but I am not afraid anymore.

Love, Vania

Our students who are mothers are so like Eddie:  ambitious on behalf of their children, benevolent towards others in their community sharing gladly their newly learned dental hygiene skills, and using that tireless work ethic to study hard so that they may continue to distance themselves from fear and lift themselves from the depths of poverty.

In recent reports you have met Geovanna who has two children, Paola with three children, and Laura with one. These women continue to amaze us with their desire to succeed in a male-dominated society which is Bolivia.  They are achieving advancements in education once believed impossible in a country which suffers from a 75% illiteracy rate.  These women are part of the wave of women who will be educating not only the boys, but also the girls in their families.  Smiles Forever is excited about the changes we have seen in Cochabamba and the surrounding areas in our 16 years of allowing young women and mothers to believe in themselves.

30% Bonus on Global Giving on September 21st.  Funds will be released twice, including at 9:00 a.m. Seattle time.  Join us with a generous contribution to honor Eddie's legacy and all of the mothers who inspire a better world!