Every-time you purchase a Gunkii a portion of the sale supports Project Smile

Every three minutes a child is born with a cleft lip and/or cleft palate. That’s an estimated 175,200 children worldwide. Without corrective surgery, as many as 9 in 10 children born with cleft conditions could die.

It can take as little as 45 a minute surgery to provide a child a healthy life and a lifelong beautiful  smile.

At Gunkii, we believe every child, no matter their economic situation, should receive the corrective surgery they need. We believe in safe surgeries that change children’s lives, their families and communities forever. 

Why Cleft Conditions are Serious

Abnormalities can cause social isolation of children and their families in many countries and cultures. This can lead to economic hardships and poverty, compounding on the physical and emotional effects of a cleft condition.

When left untreated, cleft lip and/or cleft palate can become life-threatening and a lifelong hardship. Child abandonment and even infanticide can occur when a family is unwilling or unable to raise a child with a cleft. Their child’s condition is sometimes viewed as an extra hardship in a life already filled with daily challenges like poverty and food insecurity.

Having a cleft condition can cause serious health issues if not corrected: difficulty speaking, language development, dental problems, ear infections, hearing loss and in severe cases, difficulty eating and swallowing leading to malnutrition and even starvation.

At Gunkii, we strive to focus on identifying and expanding the connections between societal and economic progress. We believe that profit is not just a stand-alone benefit but rather a shared responsibility to serve those without means. We believe every child suffering from cleft lip or cleft palate deserves exceptional surgical care.