Help for cleft children in Colombia

Deutsche Cleft Kinderhilfe in Colombia

Colombia has about 50 million inhabitants and, after Brazil, the second-largest population in South America. Poverty is widespread. Organized crime is, too—creating a critical security situation that sometimes complicates our work.

Our support for children with cleft conditions in Colombia began in 2022 with Maui, our first young patient (shown above in this page’s header image). Maui was born in a village of the Kogi, an Indigenous people—his start in life was anything but easy. We have summarized his story here and, in brief, in our current TV spot.

In 2024, we were able to bring surgeon Dr. Oscar Ñáñez López on board with a permanent project site for our mission. Based in southwestern Colombia, he treats children with cleft conditions in Popayán—known as the “Ciudad Blanca” (White City) for its many traditionally whitewashed buildings.