Remember the picture of the Nigerian kid who was starving to death when he was rescued by an aid worker and offered water? That frail and abandoned child is healthy now and has joined school.
In late January 2016, the internet world was haunted by the picture of this child abandoned to starve by his parents because they believed he was a witch. The rescue worker in the picture was seen holding a food packet and tilting a water bottle towards him.
The rescue worker was Anja Ringgren Lovén and she works for an organisation called DINNødhjælp (‘your relief’). The abandoned child was aptly named Hope after he was rescued.
Anja’s organisation rescues children who are neglected, and tortured by their parents who kill them because they are considered ‘witches’. The practice is promoted by certain ‘religious’ leaders who charge parents for their ‘exorcism’ services. Anja’s organisation rescues these children and shelters them.
Hope was also sheltered and taken care of by Anja and her team. A year later after he was rescued, he recovered fully and started going to school. He lives in an orphanage with others kids branded as ‘witches’ and abandoned by their parents.
“On 30 of January 2016, I went on a rescue mission with David Emmanuel Umem, Nsidibe Orok and our Nigerian team. A rescue mission that went viral, and today it’s exactly 1 year ago the world came to know a young little boy called Hope. This week Hope will start school ,” Anja shared on her Facebook.
Watch a video here about how Hope recovered under Anga’s care and love:
