German Surgeons Arrive in Juba for Life Changing Free Cleft Surgeries

(JUBA) – A team of specialist surgeons from Deutsche Cleft Kinderhilfe arrived in Juba on Sunday evening to provide free cleft lip and cleft palate surgeries for 20 children in South Sudan.

The ASK Foundation team welcomed the visiting experts at Juba International Airport before they proceeded to meet the Minister of Health and the medical team at Gudele Hospital.

During the meeting, the Minister expressed deep gratitude to Deutsche Cleft Kinderhilfe for their commitment to children in South Sudan and around the world.

Both medical teams discussed technical preparations for the upcoming surgeries, following a briefing from the Gudele Hospital Chief Executive Officer on available facilities and the hospital environment.

The surgeries are scheduled to begin on 30 June and will run until Friday, 3 July 2026 at Gudele Hospital in Juba.

The programme is organised in partnership with the ASK Foundation, Deutsche Cleft Kinderhilfe, the Ministry of Health and Gudele Hospital.

For more than 20 years, Deutsche Cleft Kinderhilfe has supported thousands of children across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, offering surgical care, safe recovery, and follow-up. Their surgeons are recognised globally for their skill and commitment to restoring dignity and confidence to every child.

Children of all ages with cleft lip or cleft palate are encouraged to register. The programme provides free surgery, pre-operative and post-operative care, medications and follow-up. Spaces are limited to 20 children.

Families seeking screening and registration can contact the ASK Foundation by email at info@askfdn.org or by telephone on +211 985 553 553.

The ASK Foundation was established in 2022 by its founder and chairperson, Adut Salva Kiir Mayardit, to lead grassroots development and community transformation across South Sudan.

The foundation has funded scholarships for disadvantaged students, distributed food and emergency relief items to vulnerable displaced populations, provided access to clean water through the installation of boreholes in rural states, and financed medical treatment for the sick.

Adut Salva Kiir Mayardit was later appointed as the Senior Presidential Envoy for Special Programmes in August 2025 to oversee nationwide infrastructure and food security initiatives.