“Restoring Dignity” film screening at La Chaîne de l’Espoir to raise awareness of noma

On Thursday March 27, 2025, La Chaîne de l’Espoir hosted a screening of the documentary “Restoring Dignity”, directed by Claire Jeantet and Fabrice Catérini, at its Paris headquarters. The film, as enlightening as it is moving, plunges us into the reality of noma, a rare disease that affects less than 0.1% of the world’s population, but remains tragically common in Africa, where an estimated 140,000 children suffer from it every year. It mainly affects children in the poorest regions of the world. Through the poignant testimonies of Sakina, Amina, Adamu, Aliyu and Mulikat, the documentary traces their journey to rebuild their lives and regain their dignity.

Mulikat Okanlawon, noma survivor and co-founder of the Elysium Noma Survivors Association, was present at the screening to share her experience and talk about her commitment to fighting the disease, and the help she offers survivors today.

Of Nigerian origin and born in Lagos, her journey embodies resilience and commitment. The event was also an opportunity to present the partnership between Elysium Noma Survivors and La Chaîne de l’Espoir in our project for the prevention and integrated management of maxillofacial pathologies, including noma.

This project, which involves Burkina Faso, Togo, Benin and Madagascar, aims to adopt a survivor-centered approach to improve the management and prevention of this disease.

Feedback from viewers was very positive. Many emphasized the importance of information on noma, particularly with regard to its rapid development in just 15 days, which complicates the death toll. Some also stressed the key role of prevention, pointing out that raising people’s awareness of oral hygiene could help reduce their exposure to the disease. It was also mentioned that noma is a forgotten disease, often ignored in discussions, underlining the urgency of raising awareness about it.

Since 2014, La Chaîne de l’Espoir has been actively involved in the fight against maxillofacial pathologies such as noma, through the “Les Sourires de l’Espoir” program. Around 90% of sufferers succumb to this disease.

Through our projects in Burkina Faso, Madagascar, Togo and Benin, we support prevention, caregiver training and access to care. In partnership with local players, we provide appropriate care and raise community awareness of this devastating disease.

In 2016, as part of the “Les Sourires de l’Espoir” program, we launched a project to combat noma and maxillofacial pathologies in Burkina Faso, including the creation of a Diplôme d’Études Spécialisées in maxillofacial surgery, which trains local surgeons.

These initiatives have resulted in thousands of consultations and interventions, accompanied by awareness campaigns to reinforce prevention.

Since 2021, we have treated 38 cases of noma, including 7 in Burkina Faso and 31 in Mali.

Today, after almost ten years of intervention in Burkina Faso, the project is entering its third phase in a fragile socio-economic context. La Chaîne de l’Espoir is now focusing on four priorities: improving access to care, raising community awareness, promoting the inclusion of affected children, and strengthening local skills, while supporting the country’s national priorities.

Discover the example of little Sali, once affected by noma, who has been able to smile again thanks to our intervention: https://www.chainedelespoir.org/actualites/nouvelles-des-enfants/sali-sauvee-par-une-mission-du-sourire/

Elysium Noma Survivors Association is a humanitarian association created in 2022 by Mulikat Okanlawon and Fidel Strub, two noma survivors.

The association’s mission is to raise awareness of this neglected disease, support survivors and promote better prevention and treatment.

Elysium offers survivors a place where they can find support and rebuild their lives, notably through training programs designed to help them regain control of their lives.