ExxonMobil provides support for Operation Smile in Vietnam

ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Vietnam Limited, an affiliate of Exxon Mobil Corporation- one of the world’s largest integrated refiners, marketers of petroleum products and chemical manufacturers, just contributed $50,000 towards Operation Smile Vietnam’s mission of providing medical evaluation and treatments for children born with facial deformities in the country.

Accordingly, ExxonMobil’s support in 2015 will be directed towards two missions, which are scheduled to take place in Quang Ngai province in Vietnam’s central region on August 17-21 and in Hanoi capital on November 9-20.

Approximately 200 children born with cleft lips and palates will receive free medical assessments and reconstructive treatment in these two communities.

The Operation Smile’s mission at Quang Ngai will provide free medical evaluation and treatments for children from central provinces of Quang Ngai, Quang Nam, Danang, Quang Tri and Phu Yen.

In addition to providing financial support for the two missions, ExxonMobil’s Vietnam-based employees will be volunteering as non-medical assistants to help facilitate the Quang Ngai and Hanoi efforts.

“When you see the end result of Operation Smile treatments you understand how it can truly be transformative in a child’s life. That first new smile truly touches your heart,” said Greg Smith, president and country manager for ExxonMobil in Vietnam, who will lead the company’s volunteer delegation in Quang Ngai.

ExxonMobil is currently working with its partners PetroVietnam and PVEP to advance the Ca Voi Xanh natural gas resource located offshore Danang.

“In addition to our business commitments in Vietnam, we seek projects such as Operation Smile Vietnam that will have a lasting impact and make real, positive differences in the lives of individuals,” Smith added.

Operation Smile is an international children's medical charity that performs safe, effective cleft lip and cleft palate surgery, and delivers postoperative and ongoing medical therapies to children in developing countries.

Since arriving in Vietnam in 1989, the group has changed the lives of over 38,000 children and young adults who suffer from severe facial deformities. Over 3,000 children are born each year with facial deformities throughout the country.

“With more than 25 years of experiences of providing free life changing surgeries for children born with cleft lip and palates in Vietnam, our goals are nothing special rather than bringing new hopes and smile to those who need it. There are thousands of Vietnamese children are now able to speak, eat, drink, go to school and live a normal life with dignity thanks to the continuing support and collaborations from people and friends like ExxonMobil Vietnam,” said Viet Nguyen, country representative of Operation Smile Vietnam and vice president of Operation Smile Asia Pacific.

“We would like to thank ExxonMobil for giving us this special opportunity, we believe that with your support and leadership, it will empower us to continue accomplish our mission towards a cleft - free Vietnam and promoting medical innovation, human inspiration and global healing,” Nguyen shared.

In addition to Operation Smile, ExxonMobil has provided long-standing support to VinaCapital Foundation’s programmes to provide emergency health care training and equipment for children in critical medical situations in central Vietnam communities.