Changing Lives,
One Smile
at a Time.
ABOUT US
The Heart of What We do
Our Vision
To ensure that every child in South Africa has access to life-changing reconstructive surgery, no matter their circumstances.
Our Mission
Our Values
Humans
First
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
Real Always Wins
Own Your Magic
We take initiative, embrace responsibility, and bring passion to our work. We celebrate creativity, commitment, and the unique strengths each person brings, even when challenges arise.
Serious About Smiles
Our Story
The Smile that changed everything
How We Change Lives
Our Three Pillars of Care
Medical Skills Training & Capacity Building
Smile Foundation’s Medical Skills Training helps strengthen South Africa’s public healthcare system by building specialist skills where they are needed most.
Working alongside academic hospitals, we support hands-on training, mentorship and knowledge sharing for surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses and other healthcare professionals.
A child’s surgery can change one life. Sharing skills can change thousands more, building lasting surgical capacity and improving access to specialised reconstructive care across South Africa.
We don’t replace the healthcare system. We help strengthen it.
Patient, Parent & Community Support
Our care goes far beyond surgery.
We support children and their families before, during and after their hospital journey, with services such as psychosocial support, speech therapy, nutritional guidance, transport and accommodation assistance, care packs and child-friendly hospital activities.
Through our Cleft Friends and Umatter programmes, families also have access to ongoing support, community connections and guidance from parents who have walked a similar journey.
Because changing a child’s life takes more than surgery.
Access to Reconstructive Surgery
Smile Foundation helps more children access the reconstructive surgery they need within South Africa’s public healthcare system.
Many of the conditions we support are often seen as simply “cosmetic”, yet they can have a lasting impact on a child’s health, development, confidence, and quality of life.
Children are referred through hospitals, clinics, and communities, with specialist medical teams determining the care they need.
Through Smile Weeks and ongoing surgical programmes at academic hospitals across the country, we help reduce surgical backlogs and give children the chance to heal, grow and thrive.
Leadership & Team
The Faces Behind the Smiles
Smile Foundation is guided by a dedicated team of healthcare professionals, specialists, and organisational leaders who are passionate about improving the lives of children.
Together with our network of surgeons, nurses, and support staff, we bring both expertise and compassion to every aspect of our work.
MARC LUBNER
Executive Chairman and Co-Founder
Marc is a serial social impactor who believes everything is possible with belief. Utilising networks and offering practical solutions backed by passionate efforts we can be responsibly kind and change the way the world currently works
TARRI PARFITT
Chief Executive Officer
A health-conscious powerhouse with the mind of an actuary and the energy of a Hyrox athlete. Tarri keeps Smile Foundation moving with sharp thinking, clever solutions and wicked sense of humour that keeps everyone on their toes. Equal parts strategic genius and sass.
ZOALIZE JANSEN VAN RENSBURG
Miss South Africa 2024
I am a South African spokesmodel, philanthropist, author, Law student and the current Miss World South Africa. Through my experiences, I have realised that the greatest facilitator to your success is yourself. As a humanitarian, I take great pride in my work and my involvement in community and charitable activities. These experiences have taught me valuable lessons in resilience, strength, and humility, which have become integral to my personal and professional philosophy. In my Beauty with a Purpose project called “Never Too Young to Advocate,” I focus on youth development and the enhancement of mental fortitude. My project is dedicated to instilling important values and teachings in young people, helping them to become ambassadors for positive change in the world. I am Zoalize Jansen Van Rensburg.
NELSON MANDELA
Past Chief Patron
Little Thando was born with Moebius Syndrome, a condition that causes partial or complete facial paralysis. She had never been able to smile. Every month, her mother, Thabile, wrote letters to former President Nelson Mandela, seeking assistance. One day, fate intervened, and one of her letters reached Madiba’s personal mail. Touched by her plea, he sought to help Thando and contacted Marc Lubner for assistance.
At that time, there were no surgeons in South Africa with the experience needed to perform the intricate procedure Thando required. She would have had to travel to the United States to consult with specialists. However, it quickly became clear that sending one child overseas at a time was not a sustainable solution. In response, Marc Lubner, with the support of the Independent Newspaper Group and other sponsors, convinced world-renowned specialists Dr. Ron Zucker and Dr. Craig van der Kolk to come to Johannesburg to train Professor George Psaras in the procedure. This initiative allowed many more children across South Africa to benefit as Marc and George formed the Smile Fund to provide ongoing surgical and psychosocial support to paediatric patients from disadvantaged communities through State Hospitals across South Africa.
Thando eventually received her life-changing surgery, and today is successfully employed. The organization continued to grow under Marc’s role as CEO and with Lubner Family Foundation funding as well as corporate and private donor support. Marc today is the Executive Chairman and Tarri Parfitt is CEO, with Moira Gerszt in the role as Strategic Relationship Director. In 2007, Smile Fund was registered as a Section 21 company and relaunched as the Smile Foundation. It was Nelson Mandela’s wish that Smile Foundation help as many children needing reconstructive surgery as possible and raise public awareness about the stigma associated with facial anomalies.
Today, that vision has become a reality, with over 5,200 children having received life-changing surgeries.
Where We Work
Together for Every Smile.
ACROSS SOUTH AFRICA WE PARTNER WITH
public hospitals
Delivering specialised care within public healthcare
corporate sponsors
Funding programmes and enabling scalable impact
donors
Supporting ongoing treatment through essential funding
medical expertise
Providing professional surgical care and clinical excellence
LATEST IMPACT REPORT
A Year of Impact
500+
R1 Million
Socks for smiles Funded nearly 50 reconstructive surgeries for children affected by facial differences, trauma, and burns.
1 Laser
