Meet Fouzia Mahmoudi: The Moroccan "Hope Maker" transforming thousands of lives through Operation Smile

For thousands of children born with cleft lip and palate, access to surgery can be life-changing. In many parts of North Africa, however, specialised treatment is often out of reach for families who cannot afford it.

For more than two decades, Moroccan humanitarian Fouzia Jbara Mahmoudi has worked to change that reality by helping provide free surgeries and medical care to children through the global charity Operation Smile.

Who is Fouzia Jbara Mahmoudi?

Fouzia Jbara Mahmoudi is a Moroccan humanitarian based in Casablanca and the co-founder and vice president of Operation Smile Morocco. She also serves as the regional senior vice president for the Middle East and North Africa at Operation Smile.

In February 2026, Mahmoudi gained regional recognition when she was named Dubai’s top Arab Hope Maker, receiving a Dh1 million prize for her humanitarian efforts in helping children born with cleft conditions receive free treatment.

Through her work, Mahmoudi helps oversee programmes across the Middle East and North Africa region, working with global teams to plan projects, budgets and fundraising initiatives that expand access to surgical care.

Operation Smile is one of the world’s largest volunteer-based medical charities providing free surgeries for children born with cleft lip and cleft palate. The organisation was founded in 1982 by Dr Bill Magee, a plastic and craniofacial surgeon, and Kathy Magee, a nurse and clinical social worker.

The charity runs 31 care centres across 16 countries and conducts regular medical programmes in 32 countries, bringing volunteer surgeons and medical teams together to provide life-changing surgical care and long-term treatment.

Mahmoudi’s journey with Operation Smile began in 1999, when she volunteered during a medical mission in Morocco. At the time, she was working as a vice president at Citibank, a position she held from 1983 to 2007.Inspired by the impact of volunteer surgeons treating children born with cleft conditions, she helped establish Operation Smile Morocco the same year. What started as a volunteer initiative soon grew into a national programme dedicated to providing free medical care for children with cleft lip and palate.Over time, Mahmoudi built a strong network of volunteers and healthcare professionals across the country. Today, the organisation is supported by more than 650 volunteers from across Morocco, helping expand surgical services and strengthen healthcare capacity in underserved areas.

Under Mahmoudi’s leadership, Operation Smile Morocco has grown into a key healthcare initiative in the region. The organisation has performed more than 19,000 free reconstructive surgeries for children and young adults born with cleft conditions.In addition to surgical care, the programme has provided oral and dental health services to more than 120,000 people.Across the wider Middle East and Africa region, Operation Smile has helped over 204,000 patients receive cleft surgeries, oral healthcare and comprehensive cleft treatment since the organisation began its work.

To expand access to care, Operation Smile Morocco currently operates three specialised medical centres in Casablanca, El Jadida and Oujda.

A fourth centre is nearing completion in Marrakech, which will further strengthen surgical services in the country.The organisation also conducts mobile medical missions across Morocco, bringing surgical teams to communities that lack specialised medical facilities. These missions typically last five days, during which doctors screen 100 to 150 patients and perform around 90 surgeries.So far, Operation Smile Morocco has carried out 164 medical missions across 30 cities in the country.

A cleft lip is a congenital birth defect that occurs when tissues in the upper lip fail to fuse properly during early pregnancy. This results in an opening or gap in the lip, which may appear on one side of the mouth or on both sides. The condition can range from a small notch in the lip to a larger separation that extends toward the nose. Children born with cleft lip may face difficulties with feeding and may require medical care soon after birth.

A cleft palate, meanwhile, occurs when the roof of the mouth does not close fully during development in the womb. This leaves an opening between the mouth and the nasal cavity. The condition can affect how a child eats, speaks and breathes, and may also lead to ear infections or hearing problems if left untreated.

Although these conditions can present significant challenges in early childhood, they are treatable with surgery and specialised medical care.

In many cases, a child may need several forms of treatment over time, including reconstructive surgery, dental care, speech therapy and long-term follow-up from medical specialists. With proper treatment, most children born with cleft conditions are able to lead healthy and active live.

More than two decades after she first volunteered with Operation Smile, Fouzia Jbara Mahmoudi continues to lead efforts that bring life-changing medical care to children in need. Her work reflects the power of humanitarian service, showing how determination, collaboration and compassion can help expand access to healthcare for vulnerable communities across Morocco and the wider region.