Remember The Starving Kid Left To Die By His Parents? He Just Had His First Day Of School
In late January 2016, a Danish aid worker went on a rescue mission on the streets of Nigeria and discovered a starving child on the edge of death. The moment was captured in a haunting photograph, in which she tilts a water bottle toward the frail young boy’s lips. One year later, the same, then starving kid, is starting school after a full recovery, and a recreation of his first photo shows just how far he’s come.
Anja Ringgren Lovén works for an organisation called DINNødhjælp (‘your relief’) which found the abandoned boy, appropriately named Hope. They rescue children labeled as ‘witches,’ who are often tortured and killed by their own poverty-stricken parents. Some religious leaders in Nigeria accuse children of witchcraft in hopes of charging poor families for supposed exorcism services, an epidemic Anja and her team combat by sheltering the witch hunt affected children.
We previously wrote about Hope’s journey here and here. Take a look at his timeline below, and see how just one year of love and care gave him a completely fresh start.
More info: DINNødhjælp, Facebook, Instagram (h/t)
Remember the starving, abandoned child found in Nigeria in January 2016?
This is his first day of school, exactly one year after he was rescued by Anja Ringgren Lovén
The boy, named Hope, was left to die by his parents after being accused of ‘witchcraft’
He was taken to the hospital immediately, and was treated for malnutrition and stomach worms
Just 8 months after his discovery, he started to gain weight and regain his energy
He even received a fresh haircut to go along with his new lease on life
Hope made a full recovery, and is barely recognizable from before
He lives in an orphanage with other children cast out as ‘witches’ by their parents
But really, who could accuse this face of anything evil?
The orphanage, run by Anja Ringgren Lovén and her team, proved to be a loving home for Hope
Anja works for DINNødhjælp (‘your relief’), a Danish volunteer organisation active in Nigeria
“All children have rights and those rights must be protected, always,” Anja writes on Facebook
One year of love and care gave Hope a completely fresh start
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Share on FacebookIt's not important to see what man can do with hate. It's all about seeing what you can do with love...
He is destined for GREAT things in life. God bless Anja, and the organization DINNødhjælp for helping Hope. Also to all the other people on this planet who continue to help in whatever way they can to help end such travesties
Maybe God can appear and stop the travesty but sadly he has not so in his name these atrocities happen...
Load More Replies..."But really, who could accuse this face of anything evil" that's honestly what I want to know. What is it about these kids that makes parents think they are evil? I'm so glad this kid was saved, and so sad there are probably so many more like him.
From a previous report on this story I suspect that the fact that the boy has hypospadias, a slight malformation where the urethra emerges somewhere other than at the tip of the penis may have caused an ignorant/superstitious community to see him as cursed. I'm not defending this, nowhere near it, but you asked what could possibly cause the parents to see a kid as evil, and this is a close to an explanation as I've been able to find.
Load More Replies...God bless the unfortunate children of the World and people like Miss Anja ringgren Loven !
Can you please post Anna's contact information, I feel the need to help her amazing work.
Every time I remember the photo....omg! Now he looks so happy and loved! Verry happy to see the story.
If it wasn't for her, he would've perished.. what a beautiful woman!!! ❤
when I first saw this story, a year ago it broke my heart, I couldnt get that image out of my head, I cried so hard, have lost my little girl to a bad heart when she was only 20 months old, I cant understand how anyone anywhere could ever treat this little boy so badly. but to see him now, is fantastic, what a beautiful little man. Anja, you are an Angel, thank you for doing what you do xxxxxxx
I'm glad for what they do, but I can't stop thinking about how they could have picked a better name for him.
Hope seems like a perfect name for the boy, given his circumstances in life.
Load More Replies...It's beautiful that hope had a chance but the lady who made it happen is an angel x
I know, right? Me too! He''s adorable. This story has made me cry so many times. I do hope he gets to grow up strong and loved. Truly.
Load More Replies...DINNødhjelp does not translate to "Your relief", it translates to "Your Emergency Help" or "Your. Emergency Care".
That is the literal translation. However relief is a more accurate translation of the actual meaning of DinNødhjælp. (Src: Danish copywriter based in London)
Load More Replies...Maybe this little boy will grow up to be a doctor. That woman that saved him is an ANGEL.
This is amazing! I hope one day when I'm older I can adopt a kid who needs a home as much as this kid did. God bless! <3
Fortunately, good things are still happening in this totally ruined World.
Time for him to learn how to drink from a bottle on his own, eh? Just kidding - lots of love for this lady and her kids
God bless him and the other children all over the world going through hardships like this. I’m so glad there are people out there with good hearts and the resources to help them.
i am speachless ....this story has effected my lifestyle...time for spend some to a good cause rather then wasting 200 Dollar everymonth on Marlboro i am done with it!!
He is so adroble! I wish I could keep him! So glad he is doing so much better! Than goodness for people like Anja!
My eyes tear up every time I read this story... We need more people like her!!
Praise the Lord that this precious baby was rescued and saved. He is a beautiful child of God!
Sometimes it makes me so angry & yet so sad that children are made to suffer so needlessly; all because of superstition & their beliefs. The fact that parents can be made to hurt their own child is insufferable. I only wish more could be done to put an end to that suffering... 😢
I wish i had enough money to adopt them all and a big enough place. My son would love to have brothers, or sister.
This is living proof that people really do care. I hope that Hope has a good life.
Human Hope restored. This Lady is a real Super-Woman.🙌.🙌🌎🌍🌻🌻💚💚🔝 💪💪...maybe this boy will be a Nobel Price person, who knows.??
May God richly bless this kid and makes him a great man of their glober
I am looking forward to see the boy to grow up and advance in helping others as well.
Seriously i'm cry, he has sweet smile and why their parents heartless also choose to believe that they own kid is a witch??
There are people on this earth, that are more holy than angels are! Anja Ringgren has my full respect saving children from such a cruel world. Awesome!
Maybe these horrible people (like the parents) should come after some of us REAL witches & see how well they fare.... Hate is a terrible thing.
Why do you always associate witches with evil?.... Witches was the label given to herbal healers that CHRISTIANS were and ARE terrified of. Ignorant , brainwashed, and power crazy Christians.
It's the very least they can do after their wealthy murdered their leaders and stole the resources. If you really wanted to help them give them back their resources so they can take care of themselves.
What a beautiful gift: a chance in life. What this woman did and all the volunteers out there helping the ones in need is just amazing.
It's so unfortunate how people relate vulnerable circumstances to witchcraft. The story of hope reminds of the so many poor old women who have been accused of witchcraft and killed in cold blood. It's pathetic and yet there is so much in someone like Anja who gives life to the hopeless. God bless you Anja...I hope I one day meet this hero
This lady deserves all the help and support , to keep this tremendous work up . luv you lady for what you do .
Hadn't heard about these children.I'm curious how they think a baby could be a witch
this may sound unusual but if there are more children like Hope, this is because maybe their parents do this to provide their children a better life? Hope is going to have a better life than most nigerian kids, thats for sure because now danish organization is with him. Maybe calling them "witch-evil" etc is the way to provide them a better life....
Sabbe satta bhavantu sukhitatta..The Universe bless this maiden..His act looks like a truly mother that we can learn..
I use to spend time in Ghana and where i stayed there was a little girl who seemed a bit crazy and it was said she was a witch. It turned out that 1 of the girls who was staying at the house had been giving her something. As soon as she was asked to leave the little girl was perfectly fine...
Not to diminish what she did but there are billions of children like him. Helping him does not even count as a drop in the bucket. Tragic.
Im sure it's more than a drop in the bucket to this little boy. I understand your point, and it is tragic. But these people are doing all they can to help. Regular people cannot change cultural mores, sociopolitical norms, widespread poverty, etc. All they can do is help one person at a time, and they're doing it. I'm not a religious person, but to me this woman is an everyday saint.
Load More Replies...Great to see him come right - so many lost souls out there due to "cultural history" the only truly innocent are the young.
There are so so many kids like this, it's sad that saving just one won't make much of a difference in the grand scheme of things. I am glad we are making inroads into destabilising these myths and traditions of 'Witchcraft' which are so harmful to so many though.
I think it made a big difference in Hope's life. I'm greatful she doesn't have your "why bother?" attitude. She's making a difference one life at a time! I think she's right where she needs to be, and where she belongs. Keep up your work, the kids need and appreciate you!
Load More Replies...Absolutely beautiful... I hope to meet you one day... as I have met you in spirit this day. :)
I am in the same situation and I hope someone will help me soon, as I don't have much time left. I have already near death experiences.
I am in the same situation. I hope someone will save me soon, as I don't have much time left. I have already near death experiences.
What a wonderful outcome and a fantastic group of people who help these children
Ignorance is the enemy. When enough people value their own opinions and beliefs over hard evidence and facts, we're all f****d.
This story that made me realized how awful mankind can be. But thi shows that after all it is incredible. My faith in love is restored
Maybe people who keep nagging about slow waiters and bad quality of dinner in their wellness hotel could do that work a few weeks..
Samuel, please post your sources so we can also see where you get your information, blanket statements are pretty useless
Load More Replies...Like every other person changes their hair colour - hair dye I suppose?
Load More Replies...didn't think about skin color at all till I read your comment -.-
Load More Replies...It's not important to see what man can do with hate. It's all about seeing what you can do with love...
He is destined for GREAT things in life. God bless Anja, and the organization DINNødhjælp for helping Hope. Also to all the other people on this planet who continue to help in whatever way they can to help end such travesties
Maybe God can appear and stop the travesty but sadly he has not so in his name these atrocities happen...
Load More Replies..."But really, who could accuse this face of anything evil" that's honestly what I want to know. What is it about these kids that makes parents think they are evil? I'm so glad this kid was saved, and so sad there are probably so many more like him.
From a previous report on this story I suspect that the fact that the boy has hypospadias, a slight malformation where the urethra emerges somewhere other than at the tip of the penis may have caused an ignorant/superstitious community to see him as cursed. I'm not defending this, nowhere near it, but you asked what could possibly cause the parents to see a kid as evil, and this is a close to an explanation as I've been able to find.
Load More Replies...God bless the unfortunate children of the World and people like Miss Anja ringgren Loven !
Can you please post Anna's contact information, I feel the need to help her amazing work.
Every time I remember the photo....omg! Now he looks so happy and loved! Verry happy to see the story.
If it wasn't for her, he would've perished.. what a beautiful woman!!! ❤
when I first saw this story, a year ago it broke my heart, I couldnt get that image out of my head, I cried so hard, have lost my little girl to a bad heart when she was only 20 months old, I cant understand how anyone anywhere could ever treat this little boy so badly. but to see him now, is fantastic, what a beautiful little man. Anja, you are an Angel, thank you for doing what you do xxxxxxx
I'm glad for what they do, but I can't stop thinking about how they could have picked a better name for him.
Hope seems like a perfect name for the boy, given his circumstances in life.
Load More Replies...It's beautiful that hope had a chance but the lady who made it happen is an angel x
I know, right? Me too! He''s adorable. This story has made me cry so many times. I do hope he gets to grow up strong and loved. Truly.
Load More Replies...DINNødhjelp does not translate to "Your relief", it translates to "Your Emergency Help" or "Your. Emergency Care".
That is the literal translation. However relief is a more accurate translation of the actual meaning of DinNødhjælp. (Src: Danish copywriter based in London)
Load More Replies...Maybe this little boy will grow up to be a doctor. That woman that saved him is an ANGEL.
This is amazing! I hope one day when I'm older I can adopt a kid who needs a home as much as this kid did. God bless! <3
Fortunately, good things are still happening in this totally ruined World.
Time for him to learn how to drink from a bottle on his own, eh? Just kidding - lots of love for this lady and her kids
God bless him and the other children all over the world going through hardships like this. I’m so glad there are people out there with good hearts and the resources to help them.
i am speachless ....this story has effected my lifestyle...time for spend some to a good cause rather then wasting 200 Dollar everymonth on Marlboro i am done with it!!
He is so adroble! I wish I could keep him! So glad he is doing so much better! Than goodness for people like Anja!
My eyes tear up every time I read this story... We need more people like her!!
Praise the Lord that this precious baby was rescued and saved. He is a beautiful child of God!
Sometimes it makes me so angry & yet so sad that children are made to suffer so needlessly; all because of superstition & their beliefs. The fact that parents can be made to hurt their own child is insufferable. I only wish more could be done to put an end to that suffering... 😢
I wish i had enough money to adopt them all and a big enough place. My son would love to have brothers, or sister.
This is living proof that people really do care. I hope that Hope has a good life.
Human Hope restored. This Lady is a real Super-Woman.🙌.🙌🌎🌍🌻🌻💚💚🔝 💪💪...maybe this boy will be a Nobel Price person, who knows.??
May God richly bless this kid and makes him a great man of their glober
I am looking forward to see the boy to grow up and advance in helping others as well.
Seriously i'm cry, he has sweet smile and why their parents heartless also choose to believe that they own kid is a witch??
There are people on this earth, that are more holy than angels are! Anja Ringgren has my full respect saving children from such a cruel world. Awesome!
Maybe these horrible people (like the parents) should come after some of us REAL witches & see how well they fare.... Hate is a terrible thing.
Why do you always associate witches with evil?.... Witches was the label given to herbal healers that CHRISTIANS were and ARE terrified of. Ignorant , brainwashed, and power crazy Christians.
It's the very least they can do after their wealthy murdered their leaders and stole the resources. If you really wanted to help them give them back their resources so they can take care of themselves.
What a beautiful gift: a chance in life. What this woman did and all the volunteers out there helping the ones in need is just amazing.
It's so unfortunate how people relate vulnerable circumstances to witchcraft. The story of hope reminds of the so many poor old women who have been accused of witchcraft and killed in cold blood. It's pathetic and yet there is so much in someone like Anja who gives life to the hopeless. God bless you Anja...I hope I one day meet this hero
This lady deserves all the help and support , to keep this tremendous work up . luv you lady for what you do .
Hadn't heard about these children.I'm curious how they think a baby could be a witch
this may sound unusual but if there are more children like Hope, this is because maybe their parents do this to provide their children a better life? Hope is going to have a better life than most nigerian kids, thats for sure because now danish organization is with him. Maybe calling them "witch-evil" etc is the way to provide them a better life....
Sabbe satta bhavantu sukhitatta..The Universe bless this maiden..His act looks like a truly mother that we can learn..
I use to spend time in Ghana and where i stayed there was a little girl who seemed a bit crazy and it was said she was a witch. It turned out that 1 of the girls who was staying at the house had been giving her something. As soon as she was asked to leave the little girl was perfectly fine...
Not to diminish what she did but there are billions of children like him. Helping him does not even count as a drop in the bucket. Tragic.
Im sure it's more than a drop in the bucket to this little boy. I understand your point, and it is tragic. But these people are doing all they can to help. Regular people cannot change cultural mores, sociopolitical norms, widespread poverty, etc. All they can do is help one person at a time, and they're doing it. I'm not a religious person, but to me this woman is an everyday saint.
Load More Replies...Great to see him come right - so many lost souls out there due to "cultural history" the only truly innocent are the young.
There are so so many kids like this, it's sad that saving just one won't make much of a difference in the grand scheme of things. I am glad we are making inroads into destabilising these myths and traditions of 'Witchcraft' which are so harmful to so many though.
I think it made a big difference in Hope's life. I'm greatful she doesn't have your "why bother?" attitude. She's making a difference one life at a time! I think she's right where she needs to be, and where she belongs. Keep up your work, the kids need and appreciate you!
Load More Replies...Absolutely beautiful... I hope to meet you one day... as I have met you in spirit this day. :)
I am in the same situation and I hope someone will help me soon, as I don't have much time left. I have already near death experiences.
I am in the same situation. I hope someone will save me soon, as I don't have much time left. I have already near death experiences.
What a wonderful outcome and a fantastic group of people who help these children
Ignorance is the enemy. When enough people value their own opinions and beliefs over hard evidence and facts, we're all f****d.
This story that made me realized how awful mankind can be. But thi shows that after all it is incredible. My faith in love is restored
Maybe people who keep nagging about slow waiters and bad quality of dinner in their wellness hotel could do that work a few weeks..
Samuel, please post your sources so we can also see where you get your information, blanket statements are pretty useless
Load More Replies...Like every other person changes their hair colour - hair dye I suppose?
Load More Replies...didn't think about skin color at all till I read your comment -.-
Load More Replies...
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