About Us

HISTORY

The idea for establishing the Ghana Association For Cleft  Lip and Palate  originated in 2018 from discussions among members of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital Cleft Clinic. These discussions were informed by the firsthand experiences of the hardships faced by families of children born with cleft lip and palate. The Cleft Clinic attracts patients from all parts of the country, majority of whom are from low income backgrounds.

These families faced a great deal of prejudice from their communities which understood very little about cleft lip and palate and were largely treated as outcasts. Some mothers had been forced out of their homes for refusing to abandon their children. Most of the affected children that are seen come from very poor families who often have difficulty with raising the needed funds for nutritional supplementation, transportation to the clinic and to pay for needed surgery.

It was clear that meeting the needs of cleft patients went beyond being attended to by a health professional. There was also the need to understand the causes and extent of cleft problem in Ghana, to assist in training cleft specialists to fund cleft research. This awakening inspired the desire to generate resources to help needy cleft patients.

Following a series of consultative meetings with a number of stakeholders a constitution was drawn up which eventually led to the incorporation of the Ghana Association For Cleft  Lip and Palate in 2025 as a non-profit  organization. The Founding Board Members were drawn from volunteers representation a wide area of professional endeavour.

OUR AIM

The aim is to ensure that every child with cleft deformity receives timeous and affordable care as necessary.

VISION

The vision of the Ghana Association of Cleft Lip and Palate is that every person born in Ghana with a cleft and craniofacial deformity will have appropriate access to safe, high-quality, timely, comprehensive and continuing care by well-trained professionals in good healthcare facilities. 

MISSION

 i. increase awareness, resources and capacity for cleft care in Ghana and  

ii. promote and advance the teaching, research and treatment of cleft palate and craniofacial disorders. 

FUNDING

The Ghana Association For Cleft  Lip and Palate is funded mainly through donations by individuals, corporate bodies and other non-governmental organisations. The entire Cleft project is made possible by funding from almost a dozen different foundations, organizations, and entities, whose generosity and commitment to the the Ghana Association For Cleft  Lip and Palate was outstanding and unparalleled. We however continue to appeal for more donations to support our work.

Objectives and Core Values

OBJECTIVES

The specific objectives are:

1. Promote awareness of cleft lip and palate to ensure acceptance of affected children, as well as their integration into society.

2. Mobilize funds to support the provision of free surgery and other services for needy cleft patients in Ghana

3. Support educational and research activities related to cleft lip and palate in Ghana

4. Support capacity building of cleft care practitioners

5. Promote the scaling up of cleft services throughout Ghana.

6. Collaborate with local and international stakeholders in advancing cleft care in Ghana.

CORE VALUES

1.    Common humanity

2.     Empathy

3.     Service

4.     Charity

5.     Excellence

Board of Trustees 

Executives Of GHACLIP