CSR News: Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, Bina Refinery and NGO Smile Train India Bring Smiles to Children with Clefts across Sagar District

New Delhi, India: Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), Bina Refinery (BR), has partnered with Smile Train, the world’s largest cleft focused organization, to support life-changing surgeries and build awareness campaigns about cleft lip and palate to underserved communities in the Sagar District of Madhya Pradesh.

The collaboration aims to support around 70 free surgeries by March 2025, alongside awareness activities to educate and engage local populations about clefts, demystify myths and accelerate identification and treatment across 12 tehsils of Sagar district.

The project also includes organizing screening camps to identify cleft patients and organizing workshops with Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA workers) to empower local health workers to identify cases and assist in treatment ensuring long term sustainability of the initiative.

Shirish Chandekar, General Manager (HR) Bina Refinery, shared, “BPCL has always been committed to driving social change and supporting initiatives that uplift the communities we serve. This partnership with Smile Train is an extension of our dedication to improving healthcare in rural and underserved areas. By addressing both medical and awareness gaps, we aim to ensure that children in Sagar district receive the care they need, not only transforming their lives but also raising awareness around cleft conditions across the region.”

Anjali Katoch, Head of Communications and Business Development at Smile Train India expressed gratitude towards BCPL. She said, “Facilitating free, safe and quality cleft treatment is Smile Train India’s priority. This prestigious partnership empowers us to support more cleft surgeries, giving underprivileged children born with clefts the opportunity to lead healthy and full lives. By supporting surgeries and raising awareness among communities and health workers, I am confident that this collaboration will yield transformative results for the region.”

In India, an estimated 35,000 babies are born with a cleft lip and/or palate every year, and hundreds of thousands of children with untreated clefts live in isolation and face difficulties with eating, breathing, hearing, and speaking. This initiative marks a significant step towards improving healthcare access in rural India, where cleft conditions often go untreated due to lack of awareness, medical infrastructure, and financial resources. BPCL’s commitment to this cause reflects its long-standing efforts in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to support sustainable community development.

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