Operación Sonrisa Perú

What Operación Sonrisa Perú does

Operación Sonrisa Perú is a private nonprofit association founded in 1999 and legally recognized by the Peruvian Ministry of Health. It operates as the Peruvian chapter of Operation Smile, the global nonprofit founded in 1982 by Dr. Bill and Kathy Magee. The organization's core function is providing free reconstructive surgery and comprehensive multidisciplinary care for children and adults born with cleft lip and/or cleft palate. Services span plastic surgery, anesthesiology, pediatrics, dentistry, nursing, nutrition, psychology, speech therapy, and biomedical support, delivered through 130+ surgical programs conducted at partner hospitals across Peru (Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cusco, Huaraz, Iquitos, Juliaca, Lima, Piura, Puno, and Trujillo).

The organization's operational model is community-led and event-driven, with surgical programs organized as multi-day missions involving 50+ medical volunteers per program. Notable technical and care-model components include an AI-powered speech therapy capability, a comprehensive nutrition program with feeding support and therapeutic instruments, a virtual consultation telehealth channel for follow-up care, and the Pathways educational program that integrates medical residents into live surgical missions. The organization has trained and mobilized over 270 Peruvian medical volunteers, operates 15 student clubs with 300+ student volunteers, and reports 7,800+ surgeries performed over 27 years of operation.

Operación Sonrisa Perú generates no revenue from patients (all services are free) and is funded through individual donations, corporate partnerships (notably Johnson & Johnson's 30+ year strategic partnership via the 'Tres por un Cambio' campaign), patient sponsorship programs (godparent model), and grants. The organization's annual surgical deficit of 2,600 procedures indicates significant unmet demand relative to current program capacity. It is governed by a Board of Directors led by President Pio Rosell and National Director Lizet Campos, and is affiliated with the global Operation Smile Incorporated headquartered in Virginia Beach, USA.

Name

Operación Sonrisa Perú

Legal name

Operación Sonrisa Perú

Website

https://operacionsonrisa.org.pe

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Operación Sonrisa Perú is a private nonprofit founded in 1999 that provides free cleft lip and palate surgery and comprehensive multidisciplinary care to children and adults across Peru, through 130+ surgical programs at partner hospitals, funded by donations and corporate partnerships under the global Operation Smile network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Cleft Care Healthcare Services

NAICS

Offices of Physicians (6211), Offices of Dentists (62121)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Cleft Lip/Palate & Craniofacial Surgery (HLABAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Group Practices (HLABAKAE), Cleft & Craniofacial Orthodontics (HLABABAH), Special Needs Pediatric Dentistry (HLABAGAD)

Keywords

• Cleft palate surgery
• Reconstructive surgical care
• Multidisciplinary patient care
• Nonprofit healthcare services
• Medical volunteer programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Lima

HQ country

Peru

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute through the organization's website donation portal, with various giving tiers (S/30, S/90, S/240, S/1,200, S/3,850) and the ability to donate the full cost of a surgery (S/3,850 or US$1,000).
2. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate partners including Johnson & Johnson provide funding and support for surgical programs. The organization has maintained partnerships with companies for over 30 years.
3. Patient Sponsorship Programs: Godparent programs where donors can sponsor individual patients, such as Pedro Pablo who traveled 4 days from Loreto to Lima for lip surgery.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Operación Sonrisa Perú provides free reconstructive surgery and comprehensive multidisciplinary care for children and adults born with cleft lip and/or cleft palate in Peru. Its offerings combine free surgical programs delivered at partner public hospitals, comprehensive pre- and post-operative care (nutrition, dental, speech therapy, psychology), a medical residency training program called Pathways, and virtual follow-up consultations. The organization operates as the Peruvian chapter of the global Operation Smile network and has conducted over 130 surgical programs and more than 7,800 surgeries in 27 years.

Product overview

Operación Sonrisa Perú is a nonprofit charitable organization (not a technology product company) that provides free surgical care for cleft lip and palate conditions. The organization operates a network of surgical programs (Programas Quirúrgicos) combining international and local missions, supported by a multidisciplinary volunteer medical team of over 270 professionals. The core offering includes free reconstructive surgeries, comprehensive pre and post-operative care (nutrition, psychology, speech therapy, dentistry), the Pathways educational program for medical residents, student leadership clubs, patient sponsorship, and an online donation platform. No software product or technology platform is offered.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Programas Quirúrgicos (Surgical Programs) Free cleft lip and cleft palate reconstructive surgery delivered through international surgical missions and local programs in partnership with public hospitals across Peru (Lima, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cusco, Huaraz, Iquitos, Juliaca, Piura, Puno, Trujillo). Each program involves multidisciplinary evaluation days and multi-day surgical missions with 50+ medical volunteers. Over 7,800 surgeries performed to date.
• Atención Integral (Comprehensive Cleft Care) Multidisciplinary care package for cleft patients combining reconstructive surgery with nutrition support (special bottles, therapeutic instruments, vitamins, formulas, feeding/hygiene training), dental care, speech therapy (including AI-powered tools), psychology, and psychosocial support, delivered pre- and post-operatively. Provided free of charge to patients.
• Programa Pathways (Medical Residency Training Program) Educational strategy through which medical residents from different specialties have the opportunity to learn and develop their skills alongside volunteers and specialists with extensive experience, contributing to sustainability and strengthening specialized cleft care in Peru. Integrated into surgical programs to build local healthcare workforce capacity.
• Consultas Virtuales (Virtual Consultations) Remote consultations for psychology, pediatrics, nutrition, and speech therapy follow-up services delivered to patients who cannot attend in-person appointments. Used during the pandemic and ongoing for patients in remote areas of Peru.

Quantifiable outcome

• 7,800+ surgeries performed in Peru over 27 years
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Johnson & Johnson (JOHNSON'S®)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJohnson & Johnson has been a key partner of Operación Sonrisa for over 30 years. They support the 'Tres por un Cambio' (Three for Change) campaign where donors invite 3 others to join. J&J branding appears on campaign materials and the organization benefits from corporate social responsibility partnership.
• Ministerio de Salud del Perú (Ministry of Health)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperation Smile works with the Ministry of Health to strengthen health systems and coordinate surgical programs. 'Operación Sonrisa Perú works hard to create awareness and find suitable surgical candidates for free treatment as part of its independent training program, but with the support of the Ministry of Health.'
• Hospital Nacional Daniel Alcides CarrióncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor public hospital in Callao that hosts international surgical programs. Hosted the 29th International Surgical Program with 72 patients receiving surgeries.
• Hospital Nacional Dos de MayocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner hospital in Lima that provides facilities and health personnel support for local surgical programs. Hosted Programs #107 and #108.
• Instituto Nacional de Salud del Niño (INSN SB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSan Borja-based children's hospital with which Operación Sonrisa signed a cooperation agreement enabling regular Saturday surgeries after the COVID-19 pause.
• Operation Smile GlobalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperación Sonrisa Perú is the Peruvian chapter of Operation Smile, a global non-profit organization founded in 1982. The global organization has provided care to 420,000+ patients worldwide and has 6,000 global volunteers.
• Circus GreyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAdvertising agency partner listed among strategic allies supporting Operación Sonrisa Perú.
• Estudio MuñizminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLegal/formal partner listed among strategic allies supporting Operación Sonrisa Perú.
• BursonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPublic relations firm partner listed among strategic allies.
• Diners ClubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFinancial services partner listed among strategic allies.
• YOBELminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner listed among strategic allies.
• LATAM AirlinesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAirline partner potentially providing transportation support for medical volunteers and patients.
• DHLminorOthersLogistics partner listed among strategic allies potentially supporting medical supply transportation.
• YapeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDigital payment app partner enabling donations.
• NestléminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFood and beverage company partner listed among strategic allies.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Project HOPE: Global health nonprofit working to strengthen local health systems and provide medical care. Comparable only in mission and global-health context, not surgical specialty.
• Mercy Ships: Operates hospital ships delivering free surgical care in developing nations; broader surgical mandate than cleft alone but comparable volunteer-driven model targeting surgical access gaps.
• International Medical Corps: Global humanitarian nonprofit delivering healthcare services including surgical care in crisis-affected and low-resource settings. Overlapping volunteer health-service delivery ethos.
• Operation Smile: Global parent organization of Operación Sonrisa Perú, founded in 1982; provides cleft surgery in 40+ countries with 420,000+ patients treated. Directly comparable mission and operational model; broader geographic footprint.

Direct peers

• Global Smile Foundation: Nonprofit providing cleft lip and palate surgery and care in underserved regions including Latin America. Closely comparable mission, surgical mission model, and patient population.
• Smile Train: Largest global cleft-focused nonprofit; funds local surgeons and partners worldwide to provide free cleft surgeries. Direct peer in mission, target population, and free-surgery delivery model.
• ReSurge International: Reconstructive surgery nonprofit serving low-income patients globally, including cleft care. Comparable volunteer-driven surgical mission model and patient population.
• Smile Network International: Provides free cleft lip and palate surgeries to underprivileged children through volunteer surgical missions. Direct peer with overlapping volunteer mission-trip delivery model.

Emerging players

• Mending Kids: Nonprofit providing free surgical care to children worldwide, including reconstructive procedures. Comparable mission-driven model with a broader pediatric surgical scope.

Others

• Partners in Health: Nonprofit strengthening public health systems in low-income countries through training, infrastructure, and care delivery. Comparable in public-hospital partnership approach but not surgical specialty.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://perustg.wpengine.com/tres-por-un-cambio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/operacionsonrisaperu

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Operación Sonrisa Perú