Operation of Hope Worldwide

What Operation of Hope Worldwide does

Operation of Hope Worldwide is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1988 by Dr. JP Clawson (originally as Operacion Esperanza) and headquartered in Lake Forest, California. The organization provides free corrective facial surgery and healthcare services to children in developing countries, with a service portfolio that includes cleft lip and palate surgery, facial reconstructive surgery, burn victim reconstruction, neonatal care and education, and prosthesis clinics for amputees. All services are delivered through international medical missions by all-volunteer teams of board-certified surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, and other medical professionals who pay their own airfare, with the founder having never drawn a salary since 1989.

The organization operates across multiple continents, with active and historical missions in Zimbabwe (Harare Central Hospital, Mpilo Central Hospital), Malawi (BEIT-Cure Hospital), the Philippines (Gov. Gallares Hospital), Ecuador (Clinicia Nataly), and previously in Vietnam, Lebanon, Nepal, and the Dominican Republic. Complex cases requiring specialized US-based facilities are handled through partnerships with hospitals such as Sharp Memorial Hospital in San Diego. Mission logistics are supported by a network of Rotary Club partnerships in host countries and the United States.

Operation of Hope is funded entirely through charitable contributions, with three primary revenue streams: individual donations (one-time, recurring, memory, and planned giving through the Life Legacy program), corporate sponsorships (including Emirates Airline and Econet), and foundation grants (Hilton Foundation, Ellen Meadows Foundation, Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation). The organization maintains a 95% program expense ratio over 29 years with only 5% allocated to administration. Since 1988, the organization has provided over 5,000 facial reconstructive surgeries to children in need and currently operates with a small core staff led by CEO and Mission Director Jennifer Mora Trubenbach, with upcoming missions scheduled in 2026 across Ecuador, Zimbabwe, and the Philippines.

Name

Operation of Hope Worldwide

Legal name

Operation of Hope Worldwide

Website

https://operationofhope.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Operation of Hope Worldwide is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 1988 providing free facial reconstructive surgery and healthcare to children in developing countries through volunteer medical missions across Africa, Latin America, and Asia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Humanitarian Healthcare Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery (ENT) (HLAKAMAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Rare Disease & Special Needs Support Organizations (BPAGACAM)

Keywords

• Facial reconstructive surgery
• Cleft lip palate repair
• Medical mission trips
• Pediatric surgical care
• Humanitarian healthcare services

Headquarters

HQ city

Lake Forest

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Direct donations from individuals made through the website, mail, or wire transfer. Donors can give in memory of loved ones, subscribe to recurring donations, or make one-time gifts.
2. Planned Giving / Legacy Gifts: Life Legacy program allowing donors to create bequest provisions in wills or other planned gift structures to sustain and enhance Operation of Hope's surgical care programs.
3. Corporate and Partner Sponsorships: Support from corporate sponsors and individual benefactors who empower the organization through donations and partnerships.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Operation of Hope Worldwide provides free, life-changing corrective facial surgery and healthcare for children in need in developing countries. The organization runs international medical missions staffed by board-certified volunteer surgeons who perform cleft lip and palate repairs, facial reconstructive surgeries, burn reconstruction, neonatal care, and prosthesis fitting. All services are delivered at no cost to patients, families, or host hospitals.

Product overview

Operation of Hope Worldwide operates as a unified medical charity providing free surgical care and health services to underserved populations. The organization functions through its core service offerings rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The main services include Cleft Lip and Palate Surgery Program, Facial Reconstructive Surgery, Neonatal Care and Education, Prosthesis Clinics, and Burn Victim Reconstructive Surgery. Medical Mission Volunteering programs enable healthcare professionals to participate in international missions. All services are delivered free of charge through a network of board-certified volunteer surgeons and medical personnel.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cleft Lip and Palate Surgery Program Free surgical procedures to repair cleft lip and cleft palate conditions in children, performed by board-certified volunteer surgeons during international medical missions. Patients must meet age and health criteria (lip patients at least 10 months, palate patients at least 18 months).
• Facial Reconstructive Surgery Free facial reconstructive surgeries for children born with or suffering from facial deformities and burns, including complex cases requiring multiple procedures. Some complex cases are brought to US partner hospitals like Sharp Memorial Hospital for specialized care.
• Neonatal Care and Education Specialized neonatal care services and education programs delivered by volunteer neonatologists to save precious lives in underserved areas served by mission locations.
• Prosthesis Clinics Prosthetic limb fitting clinics for amputee victims, conducted in partnership with The Ellen Meadows Foundation and Rotary International during outreach clinics in underserved countries.
• Burn Victim Reconstructive Surgery Reconstructive surgery services for burn victims of all ages who have suffered injuries from accidents involving boiling water, hot oils, acids, fire, and electricity.
• Medical Mission Volunteering Opportunities for medical professionals (surgeons, nurses, anesthesiologists, CRNAs) and non-medical volunteers to join international surgical missions lasting 10-14 days. Volunteers apply through the website and pay their own airfare.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5,000+ children impacted with life-changing surgeries since 1988
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sharp Memorial Hospital (Sharp HealthCare)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSan Diego-based acute care hospital that donates complex surgical procedures for patients requiring specialized care. Partnered to perform Blessing Makwera's multiple reconstructive surgeries including jaw reconstruction using fibula from his leg.
• Rotary Club Avondale, ZimbabwecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal Rotary club partner in Zimbabwe assisting with mission logistics and community support.
• Rotary Club Portland PearlminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUS-based Rotary club supporting Operation of Hope missions.
• Rotary Centre, ZimbabwecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRotary center in Zimbabwe supporting mission operations and local partnerships.
• Borrowdale Brooke Rotary ClubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal Zimbabwe Rotary club partner for mission support.
• BEIT-Cure Hospital, MalawicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWell-stocked hospital in Blantyre, Malawi that hosts Operation of Hope surgical missions. Medical volunteers work alongside local staff to perform procedures.
• Harare Central HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor hospital in Harare, Zimbabwe that has hosted multiple surgical missions. Staff and administrators collaborate with Operation of Hope teams.
• Mpilo Central HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHospital in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe that has hosted annual Operation of Hope missions since approximately 2017. Third annual visit performed 45+ surgeries including groundbreaking nasal reconstruction.
• Emirates AirlineminorOthersCorporate sponsor providing airline support for missions.
• Tour de Hope Annual Bike RideminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual fundraising event - road bike ride that raises thousands of dollars for Operation of Hope.
• Mayo ClinicminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedical institution partner supporting volunteer medical professionals.
• UC Davis Medical CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedical institution with staff volunteering for Operation of Hope missions.
• Pepperdine UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner with staff and alumni involved in Operation of Hope.
• Azusa Pacific UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner with alumni involved in the organization.
• Dr. Christiaan SchragcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCanadian plastic surgeon who leads surgical missions to Zimbabwe, performing groundbreaking procedures like nasal reconstruction.
• Dr. David ShayecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlastic surgeon who has been traveling to Zimbabwe and other countries for many years with Operation of Hope, repairing over 50 children and adults per mission.
• Dr. Travis TollefsoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSurgeon who has traveled to Zimbabwe among other countries for many years with Operation of Hope, repairing over 50 children and adults per mission.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Smile Train: Largest cleft-focused nonprofit, funding local partner surgeons globally. Directly competes for the same donor dollars and surgical mission footprint.
• Mending Faces: Small nonprofit running pediatric facial reconstructive surgery missions in Latin America. Directly comparable specialty focus and volunteer-based delivery model.
• Mercy Ships: Operates hospital ships delivering free surgical care in developing countries via volunteer crews. Comparable international surgical-mission delivery model.
• Global Smile Foundation: Nonprofit delivering cleft care in underserved regions through volunteer surgical missions and local provider training. Comparable specialty and capacity-building model.
• Operation Smile: Global nonprofit providing free cleft lip and palate surgeries in developing countries via volunteer medical missions. Closest comparable in mission, volunteer model, and patient population.
• ReSurge International: Nonprofit providing reconstructive surgery and surgeon training in low-income countries. Comparable scope on facial reconstructive surgery plus capacity-building.

Broad incumbents

• Project HOPE: Global health nonprofit working on health systems strengthening and medical volunteer deployments. Same funding/donor base overlap, broader scope.
• Partners In Health: Global health nonprofit operating hospitals and training programs in low-resource countries. Comparable mission-driven, training-anchored model and donor audience.
• International Medical Corps: International nonprofit providing medical relief and health services in conflict and disaster settings. Comparable donor base and volunteer-driven care delivery.
• Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières: Larger medical humanitarian organization operating in crisis and low-resource settings. Broader mandate (not surgical specialty) but same international volunteer-deployment model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/operation-of-hope

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Operation of Hope Worldwide