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MIAs Miss World marks its 75th anniversary, we continue honoring the women whose crowns became catalysts for change. Among the five Beauty With a Purpose winners of 2014 was Miss World Kenya, Idah Nguma, whose project “Restoring Smiles” left a profound mark on her country.
At a time when children born with cleft lip and palate in parts of Kenya faced stigma and harmful misconceptions, Idah acted to make a difference. Partnering with Smile Train, she helped connect families to free corrective surgeries while leading awareness campaigns to dismantle deeply rooted taboos.
She engaged community leaders, encouraged families to seek treatment, and reframed the narrative around cleft conditions, transforming fear into understanding. For many children, a safe hospital visit meant a future without shame.
Idah Nguma proved that sometimes the most powerful crown is the one that restores a child’s smile. The good news is that partnerships with charities like Smile Train and local health providers have increased the number of free cleft surgeries available in Kenya and across East Africa ever since, treating tens of thousands of children who otherwise couldn’t access care.
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