The Smile Foundation and the Avela Foundation partner to restore smiles and rebuild confidence for young burn survivors
The foundations, supported by Umatter, help burn survivors receive laser therapy at the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital every Friday, helping them feel safe, happy, and comfortable in their own skins again.
Every Friday, the corridors of Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital fill with quiet courage and hope, as young burn survivors arrive for their laser therapy sessions.
This lifeline is made possible through the partnership between the Smile Foundation and the Avela Foundation, and supported by Umatter, the psychosocial programme run by the foundations, with each treatment being a step toward healing, confidence, and comfort.
Using advanced fractional laser technology, the treatment softens and reshapes thick scar tissue, easing pain and improving mobility. More than a medical procedure; it helps children feel comfortable in their own skin again, restoring confidence, movement, and joy.
A journalist visited the hospital, on November 14, and spoke to 15-year-old burn survivor Molemo Tsotetsi, who suffered severe burns at only four years old in a tragic house fire that also claimed the life of his younger brother.
“The laser treatment journey has been good. I have had about seven sessions, and not only have I become more confident, I have seen the difference the laser has made in improving the tone of my skin.”
Inspired by the impact of the programme, Molemo’s mother, Tebogo Motukisi, has since become involved with the Smile Foundation and the Umatter programme. Drawing from her own experience as a parent of a burn survivor, she now offers guidance and emotional support to other families navigating similar journeys, turning her family’s story of pain into one of purpose and healing.
“Being part of Umatter has given me the chance to walk alongside other parents who feel lost, the same way I once did. It’s a reminder that healing goes beyond the body; it’s about community, empathy, and knowing you are not alone.”
Also read: Avela Foundation and Smile Foundation continue to prioritise children affected by burns
Tshidi Chabane-Xaba, COO of the Smile Foundation, explained that when a child begins to move more freely, sleep without pain, or smile when they see their reflection, that’s when you know the work matters.
“This partnership is about helping children live comfortably in their own skin again. We are incredibly grateful to the Reatile Foundation Trust, and the dedicated team at Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital, for making that possible.”
Erika Da Cruz, a trustee of the Reatile Foundation Trust, added: “For us, at the Reatile Foundation Trust, this partnership is deeply personal.
It’s about standing with families in their most difficult moments, and helping children rediscover the simple joys that every child deserves: To laugh, to play, to feel free in their own skin.
Witnessing the difference this treatment makes is something that stays with you. It reminds us of what true impact looks like.”
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