Yugen, a Dubai-based boutique media and communications company, has entered into a partnership with Smile Train, the world’s leading cleft organization, to help raise awareness for children with clefts in the Mena region.

As a part of the partnership, entrepreneur, fashion icon and lifestyle influencer, Josh M Yugen, was appointed as the first media personality from the Mena region to become a Smile Train Ambassador.
 
Josh M. Yugen found fame in 2016 after winning the Most Influential Travel Journalist Award given by the Miss European Tourism Organization and Media Personality of the Year by TFT UAE. After being named as the first-ever Filipino owner of an international luxury publication in the UAE, he continued making news by co-sponsoring the travel TV program for Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach in 2018 featuring Dubai and most significantly the MEGA fashion show in 2018 where he worked with Miss World 2013 Megan Young and reigning Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray, who are all Smile Train Ambassadors.

Yugen stole the public’s heart after it was revealed that he was an advocate for children with clefts and had a passion for helping kids in the Philippines. Afterwards, he was featured in several TV channels in the Philippines for his advocacies.

In addition to the causes that he supports, Yugen suffered from verbal apraxia when he was a kid and had trouble speaking until the age of 6. He is passionate about kids with determination, to help them discover themselves and to encourage them to use their skills and talents to further develop their lives and inspire more people. It is this passion that led him to Smile Train.
 
Josh M Yugen now plans to use his skills and resources to further raise awareness about Smile Train in the Mena region. Yugen plans to organize several charity events to raise funds and help children in need.
 
“I am very excited to have Josh join as our first Smile Train Dubai Ambassador to help us raise awareness and funds for children with clefts. Globally, 1 in 700 babies are born with a cleft lip and/or palate and many are in the poorest regions of the world,” said Troy Reinhart, Smile Train’s Senior Vice-President Development and Dubai branch manager. “Smile Train’s goal is to provide free, safe cleft surgery for every child in need.”
 
To mark his new Ambassadorship, Josh M. Yugen hosted an exclusive dinner party recently in collaboration with XPEDITION Middle East magazines’ Luxury Spring Party at Hakkasan, Emirates Palace.

The event encourages members from the royal family, UAE government leaders, diplomats, investors, businessman and media friends, to come together and inform them about the advocacies of Smile Train and invited them to the upcoming charity events to raise vital funds for children with clefts. Funds raised from the upcoming events will benefit Smile Train and support children with clefts.
 
Josh M Yugen said: “I am absolutely thrilled to now be a part of the Smile Train family and am very much looking forward to kick-starting things off with XPEDITION Luxury Spring Ball Party."

“A lot of people are asking me why I never smile in photos, I always reply, it’s a fashion statement but seeing kids who are capable of smiling and are happy but physically unfortunate is another story. This is where my quest and passion to advocate with Smile Train begins. I would like to see as many children smiling and as the Smile Train line says, we are all capable of solving ‘A Single, Solvable Problem’.

“I will use my resources, network and passion to further raise awareness about young children with clefts as every child deserves the ability to smile, and Smile Train is a fantastic organization which works tirelessly to bring joy, happiness, good health to these children. I believe that true happiness can only be attained if you can make a kid smile,” he added. – TradeArabia News Service