Humanitarian Award 2019 Winner

Restoring Dignity

Noma is a gangrenous infection starting in the mouth caused by extreme poverty, malnutrition and poor hygiene. In just two weeks, it destroys the tissues of the face and might kill up to 90 percent of the people affected. The World Health Organization estimates it affects 140,000 people every year. At the Noma Hospital in Sokoto, Nigeria, disfigured survivors find a unique place to heal their wounds. Sakina is a little girl, Amina and Adamu are teenagers and Mulikat and Aliyu are adults who have lived for decades with the terrible physical and psychological consequences of noma. While they suffer from pain and discrimination, they are on a life-changing journey to overcome years of isolation. This documentary follows them over the course of a year.