Tedashii has really taken the concept from his newest single “Smile” to a whole new level.
On February 20, Tedashii announced that he had become a Goodwill Ambassador for Smile Train, an international children’s charity that provides doctors around the world resources to perform cleft lip and cleft palate repair surgery, along with comprehensive care. The partnership aims to raise money for the organization and raise awareness of the social and physical issues that children with a cleft lip endure.
In a YouTube video released on Reach Records’ channel, Tedashii explained that he wanted to raise awareness of the plight of these children with the #SmileTrainChallenge cross-platform social media campaign. To participate, create a post that includes the hashtag, a tag to Tedashii, and a video on the reasons for smiling.
Founded in 1999, Smile Train is currently the world’s largest cleft charity, healing children in over 85 countries. The organization partners with local hospitals to teach doctors how to perform the surgery necessary to heal the cleft and provides supplies for the surgery and post-surgery care. A single surgery costs minimally $250 and takes 45 minutes to perform.
Cleft lip is caused in early pregnancy when the facial features of the baby develop but do not join together properly. Cleft lip is one of the most common birth defects in the world. According to Smile Train’s website, children with a cleft lip have difficulty with breathing, eating, hearing, speaking, and other human traits that are supposed to come naturally. Also, because of how their physical features, these children are forced to live the rest of their lives in isolation is some societies.
The partnership was announced a little less than two weeks after Tedashii released his latest single, “Smile.”
Over the past several months, The Reach Records artist has been releasing songs under his new creative vision Never Fold, which is based off of Luke 9:62: “Jesus replied, ‘No one who puts his hand to the plow and turns back is fit for the kingdom of God.’” The duo plan on releasing a music video for “Smile” to further create awareness. The video will contain a Tedashii performing live and the impact Smile Train has had around the world.
Tedashii did say, “let me make it better, let me help you out.” Guess he was fulfilling that promise.
To donate through Tedashii’s Smile Train Fundraiser, go here.
Purchase “Smile” here.
