History     1999 Nonstop round-the-world flight in a balloon completed by Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones. Landing in the Egyptian desert. The Winds of Hope Foundation (WoH) is created in Château-d’Oex, Switzerland. Marie-Hélène Leclercq, in charge of Noma at the World Health Organization (WHO) and Edmond Kaiser, founder of the Swiss ONGs Terre des Hommes and Sentinelles encourage Winds of Hope in their choice of Noma as its first cause. 2000 The Foundation begins by providing funds of up to $100,000 to the WHO program in Niger that had never been launched due to insufficient funds. The first partnerships are signed with Altran, de Rham and Victorinox 2001 Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones travel to Niger. His Excellency, the President Mamadou Tandja, and the Prime Minister guarantee their official support for Winds of Hope. A direct aid of $100,000 is granted to the humanitarian associations Sentinelles (Switzerland), Hilfsaktion Noma (Germany) and Campaner (Spain), committed to fighting Noma in three different provinces of Niger. 2002 The first annual international Round Table, organized by Winds of Hope, brings together the primary ONGs that fight against Noma. An aid program is launched in Burkina Faso, with a budget of $100,000 allocated to the Swiss association Hymne aux Enfants to raise awareness and detect Noma in the field, help build a new center to fight Noma in Ouahigouya and launch a spirulina production project to combat malnutrition. Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones lay the first stone of the Hymne aux enfants building in Ouahigouya . The First Lady of Burkina Faso, Chantal Campaoré, agrees to take the honorary presidency of the National Committee for the Fight Against Noma. 2003 Winds of Hope enters into a five-year, CHF 3 million (€2 million) partnership agreement with the WHO Regional Office for Africa (WHO/AFRO) to launch national programs in  Burkina Faso, Mali and Benin, based on Niger’s model. Bertrand Piccard travels to Mali to synchronize the work of national prevention program coordinators. The International No-Noma Federation is created at the initiative and under the auspices of Winds of Hope in Geneva during the Second Annual Round Table.     2004 Bertrand Piccard opens the International Conference on Oral Health, organized in Kenya by the World Dental Federation (FDI). Its theme is the importance of rallying all available forces to fight together against Noma. Thirth Annual Round Table 2005 Fourth Annual Round Table 2006 Winds of Hope undertakes to fund national programs in Togo and Senegal. Bertrand Piccard visit to Niger  Fifth Annual Round Table and decision has been taken to organise the first World Noma Day in 2008. 2007 Kofi Annan has accepted the patronage about this world première, the Noma Day. Sixth Annual Round Table Since it's creation, Winds of Hope financed preventions programs in Africa for a total amount of 1'738'064 CHF. 2008 22 May - Noma Day - A day to inform Renowned lecturers, internationally recognized scientists, experienced surgeons and WHO representatives presented various relevant topics. The village, a symbol of Africa, served as a platform of communication and information to introduce the disease as well as its social, medical and humanitarian context. Photo reports, films, general public informational sessions and a youth forum offered visitors a comprehensive view of the numerous actions already in place. 22 May - Noma Day - A evening to support. Winds of Hope Gala Dinner held at Halle des Sécheron in Geneva. 934'050.- CHF have been raised during the Noma Day. The total amount will be used for the actions in the field. Seventh Annual Round Table