Issues: Well-being, Community Development
Stakeholders: Employees, Communities
Region: South America
In 2006, an Ouro Preto ondontologist had two things in mind when he founded the Project Smile Foundation – to help impoverished children have a healthier smile and sustain the efforts with a continuous source of revenue supported by the community. Seeking long-term partnerships to help build and eventually expand Project Smile while keeping self-sustainability as a target, Dr. Aluísio Drummond and Novelis Brazil teamed up to build a toiletry plant that would market and sell specialty soaps, with all profits going to Project Smile.
To make this project a reality, Novelis donated land for the soap plant installation and provided legal support necessary to gain enterprise approval. In December 2006, the Project Smile Foundation started production at its Ouro Preto fine toiletry plant. To market its products, Project Smile, with resources donated by Novelis, also opened a shop at Pilar Square to sell its “Pérola Ouro Preto” line. The line features soaps in multiple fragrances, shampoos, conditioners, oils and bath salts.
Today, through the sales of its soap products, Project Smile provides full dental assistance, including orthodontal care, to approximately 6,000 underprivileged 
children. The children, up to 14 years of age, represent 18% of the pediatric population in the city. Recognized by UNICEF and by the national ABRINQ, Project Smile sustains seven dental offices throughout the most impoverished areas of Ouro Preto. In turn, the program has already achieved a 55% reduction in the dental caries index among the children.
Local children are not the only ones benefiting from Project Smile. As its focus remains on self-sustainability through community support, Project Smile offers students from the Pharmacy School of the Ouro Preto Federal University (UFOP) opportunities to serve as technicians in the product development process. Students not only gain experience relevant to their coursework, but also receive the satisfaction of providing a social service for their community. Currently, student technicians are helping to develop a children’s line of soaps as well as a cosmetics line.
By mid-2008, it is projected the plant will be running at full-capacity. With this increase in production and the expansion of product lines, Project Smile will have the opportunity to expand its program to provide dental care to more than 8,000 children. To ensure the ongoing success of Project Smile, Novelis has pledged to donate more than $30,000 annually.
