Hope, the Nigerian child who captured global attention after being branded a witch and left to die by his family in 2016, has graduated from primary school and is set to begin secondary education in September.
Danish aid worker Anja Ringgren Lovén, who rescued him in Akwa Ibom, shared the news in a Facebook post on Monday, August 25. She revealed that Hope, now thriving under her care at the Land of Hope Foundation, graduated with one of the highest grades in his class despite being deaf.
“Hope survived. He graduated this year and starts secondary school next month. His story is world famous and every day I look at him and feel so grateful for his incredible development,” Lovén wrote.
She described him as intelligent, artistic, caring, and humorous, with a remarkable gift for sign language communication, dance, and drawing.
Hope’s story first gained international attention in January 2016 when a photograph of Lovén giving water to the then two-year-old malnourished boy went viral. Branded a witch and abandoned by his family, he was rescued and placed in the care of Land of Hope, the foundation co-run by Lovén and her husband, Nigerian lawyer David Emmanuel Umem.
Reflecting on his progress, Lovén noted that while Hope’s transformation is inspiring, thousands of children in Nigeria still face deadly accusations of witchcraft.
“Some days it makes me think about the thousands of ‘Hope’s’ out there who we will never get to know. Once a child is accused of being a witch it’s the end. But we will never give up. It’s an uphill battle but with your support to Land of Hope we will continue to save lives.”
Since his rescue, Hope has received education, healthcare, and shelter at the foundation. His graduation marks a milestone in his journey from rejection to resilience.
