Future Faces has had another successful year, completing the first phase of a major training programme aimed at developing a world-class craniomaxillofacial service at Bugando Medical Centre in Mwanza, Tanzania — a facility serving over 22 million people across the Lake Victoria region.

In collaboration with FECS (Fundación Española de Cooperación Sanitaria), two Tanzanian doctors — Dr Fidelis Mbunda and Dr Emmanuel Motega — began an intensive 9-month training programme in June 2024. Their journey took them from Madrid to Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead, and finally to GSR Institute in Hyderabad, building expertise to deliver comprehensive cleft and craniomaxillofacial care back home.

Virtual Reality Training with VRiMS

A highlight of the year was the collaboration with Prof Jag Dhanda and his pioneering virtual reality surgical training platform, VRiMS. Five surgeons from Tanzania, Burundi, Cameroon, Uganda and Kenya attended training courses at the University of Surrey. All VRiMS equipment will be installed at Bugando Medical Centre in February 2026.

In Memory of Mr Les Snape

Future Faces pays tribute to Mr Les Snape, Consultant Maxillofacial Surgeon from Christchurch, New Zealand, who passed away on 1st January 2026. His generous donation, along with contributions made in his memory, has been instrumental in making this project possible. His legacy of dedication to craniofacial care — from Tanzania to Nepal — will live on through the work at Bugando.

More information: https://maxtrain.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Future-Faces-Newsletter-2025.pdf