South Africa Project, Part 3: Lasting Impacts

Many kids throughout the world do not have the means to care for their oral health. Not only do they lack access to dental clinics, they also do not own toothbrushes or toothpaste. As a result, many children suffer from pain and oral diseases. To try and fix this problem, The Humble Co. donates oral care products to children in need. However, simply donating products is not enough, which is why we work with Humble Smile Foundation to leave positive long-term impacts in disadvantaged communities.

The Gogo’s Give Smiles Project, which took place in the Ndebele Kingdom, is a great example of how one project can have such a large impact. Humble Smile Foundation (HSF) and the International Association of Dental Students (IADS) worked with the Gogo’s to integrate oral health care in the school and community. Over 1000 children were reached by the implementation of the program.

After witnessing the success of the project, King Makhosonke II requested the program be integrated into government policy so that 983,000 Ndebele children can benefit from it. To show his gratitude, King Makhosonke II invited the members of HSF and IADS to be his guests at the annual Komjekejeke Festival. In addition to the program being implemented into government policy, NGO’s, media outlets, and governmental bodies have also expressed interest in partnering with the Gogo’s Give Smiles project.

However, it is not only the children and communities who are impacted by projects like this. 90% of the volunteers stated they would definitely recommend volunteering on a similar project to a friend. Gosia Osypiuk from Poland said, “I am extremely grateful for having the opportunity to see the world from a different perspective. Through this project, I was in a position to notice thoroughly the importance of preventive dentistry. Everything was genuinely inspiring, and I must admit that this experience thankfully gave me some ideas for my future professional life.”

To read more about a volunteer’s experience in South Africa, check out our next post!