A smile is the world’s most affordable accessory. It can turn the simplest of outfits into stunning creations or make a homely face instantly attractive.

Well, not for all.

For some, a smile is a source of shame and misery, a painful reminder of a disadvantaged past and an uncertain future.

“Nobody dies of a cleft lip or a cleft palate. But while these conditions are not life-threatening, their impact on a child’s life is life-limiting if not devastating. Children with cleft deformities are terribly disadvantaged. They face a life of facial deformity and speech disability, which robs them of a future,” says Operation Smile Philippines president and executive director, Roberto J. Manzano.

That future is what their group, Operation Smile Philippines, is working to rebuild through free reconstructive surgery. The group is composed of mostly medical professionals, who volunteer their time and expertise for free. There are also corporations that donate sums of money to fund missions and surgical procedures.

To date, the Philippine-initiated organization has given more than 22,000 kids and young adults in the country something to smile about. Some of those they helped have gone on to finish college and gotten well-paying jobs. Others even became singers and public speakers, something that would have been impossible to do before the surgery.

“For these people, a smile has transformative powers. It turns their insecurities into self-confidence and transforms their shame to dignity. Never has one smile mattered so much, giving them a promise of a new life and a hope for a new future,” says Manzano.

This year, one doesn’t have to be a part of a corporation or be a medical professional to help these kids. Anyone can help through Operation Smile’s tie-up with Guess Philippines, aptly named “Guess Who’s Smiling.”

“We know that a lot of people out there want to help. They just don’t know how. Guess Who’s Smiling allows people to be part of our advocacy without taking time off from their busy schedules. When they buy from Guess stores, they can automatically give one child a new lease in life,” explains Manzano.

According to Guess Vice President Anthony Courchet, they chose to sponsor this project because they are in the business of making people appear and feel more beautiful and nothing perhaps can better accomplish this than a smile. “It is a beautiful thing to see a child smile. We want to bring back those smiles on their faces.”

Guess Philippines are so into the project that they have already pledged their support for 50 surgical procedures even before Guess Who’s Smiling was launched. And for every purchase of a Guess product, part of the proceeds will go to more surgical procedures for children with cleft deformities.