The Incredible Transformation Of Hope, The Witch Child
At the beginning of 2016, an image went around the world. It was the photo of a malnourished, naked and abandoned child in a Nigerian village, being rescued by a volunteer. The reason for his abandonment was the belief that he was a witch child.
Anja Ringgren Loven, the Danish woman who came to give the little boy food and water, did not believe in these superstitions and, from that moment, could not get away from him. She took him to the hospital for immediate care and then adopted him.
After a few months, that little boy not only gained a name and a home, but also managed to recover and become the image of a campaign whose objective is to strengthen aid to orphans in Africa.
Today, Hope (in Spanish: ‘Esperanza’) is a healthy child and lives happily with his new family. Also, school is about to start. But, how did this story of overcoming and solidarity begin?
From “witch child” to symbol of hope
As already mentioned, in January 2016, Danish activist Anja Ringgren Lovén found a supposed two-year-old witch child wandering the streets of the outskirts of Abuja, the Nigerian capital, naked and malnourished.
These children are considered carriers of disease and bad luck by certain tribal communities, which is why they are often abandoned and even killed by their own families.
Apparently, the little one had been living on his own for about 8 months, feeding on food scraps that some people gave him in passing and, possibly, also on garbage. He had intestinal parasites and it looked like he could die at any moment.
Seeing him in such conditions, Anja gave him water, wrapped him in a blanket and immediately transferred him to the Uyo hospital, where he received intense antiparasitic treatment and continuous blood transfusions to treat his severe anemia.
From the first meeting with Hope, the Danish woman published a series of photos and videos on her social networks in order to receive help to pay for medical expenses.
This decision was the best he could have made, since in the first 48 hours the donations reached almost a million dollars. Grateful for the support, she wrote the following on her account:
Hope was never a witch child
Two months after starting treatment, Hope recovered and is now living proof of an incredible transformation. In the most recent photographs, he can be seen smiling, in an environment very different from that of that image that shocked the world years ago.
Although he must still go to medical check-ups for safety, the little one can begin to live a happy childhood like the one that all children deserve.
Thanks to the donations she has received, Anja Ringgren Lovén has been able to save many children who, like her adopted son, are in inhumane conditions in deprived areas.
He has also taken the opportunity to tell part of his experience and draw attention to the fact that, in Africa, thousands of children are in danger because they are accused of being “witches” or being “demonized”.
Anja is also grateful to have this little boy in her life and continues to lead the “ African Children’s Aid Education and Development Foundation”.
Together with her husband, David Emmanuel Umem, she has started the construction of her own orphanage, where she hopes to help many more children.
The couple already have a biological son, David Junior, but at present they are also in charge of 35 others who were rescued on the streets in conditions similar to those of the supposed “witch child”.
Solidarity is the only goal
Through her Facebook account , Anja shares images of Hope’s new life, while still marveling at the support she still receives from people around the world.
Hope’s smile is now a symbol of hope, a sign that great things can be done when thousands of people come together for the same cause.
However, we must not forget that, although Hope’s story had a happy ending, there are still many children in the same conditions. The fight for the rights of the child must not stop, as there are still many cases of abandonment and situations of risk.
