A toddler abandoned by his family in Nigeria because they believed he was a witch has made a remarkable recovery a year after being rescued. The child, named Hope, was found emaciated and riddled with worms, walking the streets alone after eight months of foraging for scraps.
Danish charity worker Anja Ringgren Loven, founder of the African Children’s Aid Education and Development Foundation, rescued Hope in January 2016. A photograph of her giving him water went viral, prompting global donations of £800,000 ($1 million) to cover his medical bills.
Hope received treatment for worms and blood transfusions to boost his red cell count. A year later, he has gained weight, looks healthy, and is set to start school. Ms Loven shared his progress on Facebook, writing: 'A rescue mission that went viral, and today it's exactly one year ago the world came to know a young little boy called Hope.'
Ms Loven and her husband, David Emmanuel Umem, run a children's centre for abandoned children and began building their own orphanage in January last year. The foundation continues to rescue children accused of witchcraft in Nigeria.
