A LITTLE GIRL WITH A BIG HEART

ILAGAN CITY, PHILIPPINES | MARCH 2025

Five year old Shakira Tamang quickly won the hearts of the Smile Asia team during the medical mission in Ilagan City. Sweet and spirited, she was never shy — happily chatting with volunteers, playing games, and even inviting them to watch shows on her mother’s phone with her.

The youngest of eleven children, Shakira was the only one born with a cleft lip. Together with her mother, Marites, she travelled five hours from San Mariano to Governor Faustino N. Dy Sr. Memorial Hospital, determined to seek treatment. Life had not been easy for Shakira; she was often bullied by classmates because of her cleft. When Marites learned about Smile Asia’s medical mission, the family borrowed money from friends to cover the journey by jeepney and motorbike — holding on to the hope of giving Shakira a brighter future.

On Screening Day, however, Shakira was diagnosed with pneumonia, leaving Marites anxious about whether her daughter could undergo surgery at all. Thankfully, with medical care and close monitoring, Shakira was cleared and later received her long-awaited surgery during the mission.

Shakira dreams of becoming a police officer one day. She says she wants to protect others, just as she and her siblings have always protected one another. With her new smile, Shakira now faces the future with courage and confidence — a little girl with a big heart, ready to stand tall for those around her.