11-months-old Bornali Pegu belongs to a poor family of marginal businessmen from Jonai Village in the Dhemaji district of Assam. The birth of the little one was sad, not a joyous occasion for the family. When the family discovered that the child was born with a cleft lip and palate, they were shocked and cursed the gods that had given them a malformed child.
Often the neighbours and her family murmured among themselves about little Bornali’s deformity, but no one had outright disowned the child. However, feeding the child was a constant struggle for the mother. The child could not eat properly and consequently suffered from malnutrition. Her cleft palate also caused trouble during breathing, making the life of the little one extremely difficult.
The Pegus heard about Mission Smile from their neighbour. At first, they could not believe that such surgery was possible. Above all, when they heard that the surgery was free of cost, they considered it as a stroke of their luck. They were instantly overjoyed, though a little sceptical about their little Bornali smiling again. On October 3, 2019, Bornali smiled a smile free of the cleft lips. Her palate was scheduled to be operated on as soon as the lips heal. She now beams with a beautiful smile and cleft-free lips and palate.
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