Ute Winkler-Stumpf President

Hilfsaktion Noma

Recipient of the German Order of Merit

Medaille d'Honneur de la Sante Publique Du Niger

NoNoma International Noma Foundation
Founding Member

Dear friends and supporters!

I'm pleased to welcome you to our Web site, where you'll find information about noma and our work to fight against this malicious disease.

We've accomplished a lot since the founding of the organization 16 years ago: Several thousand children with noma have been treated by us. Our education and prevention activities, such as vaccinations and support against malnourishment, has let us witness a drastic drop in the long-term damage caused by noma.

Famine in Niger

But malnutrition has become a big problem again in Niger this year. The UN estimates that more than half of the population and mainly children between the ages of six months and five years are starving. I had to confirm this during my last visit to our center in Birni Konni in July. Unfortunately I was not able to attend the opening of our emergency center Dingazi, Tillaberi region, Departement Ouallam, for security reasons. UN officials have said that 64.1% of the population is malnourished there.

Together with other organizations and under the umbrella of the UN, we are helping this region until the next harvest in December. Since malnutrition is the main cause of noma, we see this also as a preventive measure. The Peter Ustinov Foundation – and hopefully many individual donors – are supporting us. Please help us to help these starving children!

Progress in Guinea Bissau

Our plan to open an Noma center in Guinea Bissau with the support of Peter Ustinov Foundation and NOMA-HILFE-SCHWEIZ is moving ahead. We were able to present the authorities with initial plans for the center during my last visit in April.

The president of Bissau Municipality, Mr. Eng. Armando Napoco, assured us that he will approve the project once the details have been worked out. The Deputy Minister of Health, Dr. Augusto Paulo Silva, also signaled his full support.

Presentation of the center's model at Bissau Municipality

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our architects, Mr. Souleyman Baré (Niamey/Niger) and Mr. Roland Mittermayer (Berlin/Germany). They are jointly designing the center free of charge and have already started the approval process at Bissau's planning department.

We were also able to find two construction companies run by men who received their education in Germany. We hope to begin construction in four months and aim for an opening in May 2011.

Noma becomes part of curriculum

Apart from planning the center, I was also able to talk with representatives of the health sector. Dr. Allarangar Yououide of the World Health Organization, who has been supporting our work in Bissau since the beginning, told us that he will continue to back our efforts.

I am very happy that the rector of the Medical University, Dr. Abulai Biai, and the director of the National Health School, Dr, Maram Mane, informed me that noma has been integrated in the curricula for medical personnel in Guinea Bissau.

Reason for hope

Needless to say, it was very important for me to be able to visit patients that we were able to help with the support of our donors in the last few months. Mónica Watché impressed me the most: The 25-year-old mother of two children lost her palate and upper jaw because of noma. A special prosthesis now enables her to eat normally again.

Mónica plans to become a nurse. We want to help her in this endeavor and hope that she will be able to pass on her experience to other patients at the new noma center in Bissau in a couple of years.

Mónica Watché with her little son, Inza

Please continue to support us in the fight against Noma!

Sincerely,