Branding
Gegen Noma e.V.

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Case Study: Gegen Noma e.V.
NGO brand consulting against a neglected disease

Background

Noma is a disease of poverty that affects over 100,000 children in Africa every year and is fatal in 80% of cases. Within a few weeks, it destroys the faces of the children.

Despite these dramatic dimensions, Noma is almost unknown in Europe.

The association Gegen Noma e.V. pursues the goal of ending this silent dying – through prevention, education, and the long-term anchoring of knowledge on the ground.

Challenge

The low level of awareness makes it difficult to attract donations, volunteers, and institutional support. At the same time, the work on-site requires communication that functions without words – understandable, accessible, and culturally compatible in regions with high illiteracy rates.

Our role

Since 2008, Human Centric Branding has supported the association pro bono on the communication advisory board.

Key areas:

  • Development of positioning and brand strategy
  • Strategic consulting on donation motivation and target group understanding
  • Communication strategy for attracting donations and volunteers
  • Design of training and educational materials for use in Africa

Solution

The focus of “Gegen Noma’s” work is in Burkina Faso – with a clear orientation toward prevention.

Human Centric Branding develops information and teaching materials for use on the ground, so that knowledge about Noma can be disseminated via educational boards, leaflets, radio, and theater plays.

With these materials, around 500 trained health workers go into village communities and convey knowledge on prevention, early detection, and treatment – directly where the disease can be stopped immediately with antibiotics.

The Impact

  • Increased visibility of the association in Germany

  • Establishment as a relevant organization in development cooperation

  • Over 50,000 mothers trained annually in Burkina Faso

  • Funding by the BMZ to expand the program in the Sahel region

Conclusion

In the non-profit sector as well, strategy and communication are central levers for impact. Our collaboration with the association for nearly 20 years has helped show that a disease once considered inevitable can be prevented through knowledge and collective action. For a world without Noma.

Case highlights:

Orientation

1. Stock-Take

It all starts with a precise analysis: where does the brand stand today? What messages is it sending—and do they actually land with the intended audiences? We make visible whether external perception matches internal intention.

2. Exposing Communication Gaps

SENSUS reveals where communication between brand and consumer breaks down. Which signs, codes or messages are missing their mark? Where do misunderstandings or misinterpretations arise?

3. Cross-Channel Perspective

We examine the brand across all relevant channels—digital, analogue and direct contact—ensuring messages are consistent throughout.

4. Collaborative Approach

Our approach is cooperative: we don't impose solutions, but work together with all relevant stakeholders. By involving everyone, we create shared understanding and broad acceptance of results—driving change processes that are supported by all.

5. Foundation for Development

The outcome is a clear, holistic picture of the status quo. On this basis, strategic decisions can be made and brands developed with purpose—with clarity, commitment and clear direction.