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£103,000 donated to rescued ‘witch’ toddler in two days

By Editor
18 February 2016   |   6:10 am
AFTER heartbreaking series of photographs showed an emaciated two-year-old Nigerian, riddled with worms and reportedly abandoned by his family because they thought he was a witch, help has come for the rescued toddler. He had lived on the streets for eight months, surviving on scraps and whatever he could find, before being discovered by Anja…
Lovén giving water to the child

Lovén giving water to the child

AFTER heartbreaking series of photographs showed an emaciated two-year-old Nigerian, riddled with worms and reportedly abandoned by his family because they thought he was a witch, help has come for the rescued toddler.

He had lived on the streets for eight months, surviving on scraps and whatever he could find, before being discovered by Anja Ringgren Lovén, the Danish founder of the African Children’s Aid Education and Development Foundation.

She then wrapped the boy in a blanket and took him to the nearest hospital. After two days of care, she wrote that his condition had greatly improved.

“He’s taking food for himself, and he responds to the medicine he gets.

“Today, he has had powers to sit up and smiling at us. He’s a strong little boy. To see him sit and play with my own son is without doubt, the greatest experience of my life! I just don’t know how to describe it in words,” she wrote on her Facebook page.

Immediately the heartbreaking photos went viral, it has garnered over a £100,000 in donations, while highlighting the issue of superstition across the country. 

The boy, dubbed Hope, was found emaciated and abandoned after being accused of being a witch. Anja Ringgren Lovén, an aid worker from Denmark, shared the photos on Facebook, saying, “Thousands of children are being accused of being witches and we’ve both seen torture of children, dead children and frightened children.

After adding that Hope was in hospital and that donations were being accepted to help his recovery, over one million Danish kroner (around £103,000) was donated in two days. 

The full story of what happened to Hope is not clear, but it seems that he is one of many young children in the country who are accused of being witches, then tortured, cast out or killed as a result. 

8 Comments

  • Author’s gravatar

    The devil plays havoc with the mentality of a superstitious society. And thanks to GOD that this kid is finally rescued. It never occured to people of that fetish society that hunger and disease can precipitate queer behaviours in kids and adults. Hunger is ” witch” number one

  • Author’s gravatar

    This story brings tears and hot anger to my mind. How can this continent remain so backward? What is wrong with our people? An innocent 2year old labelled a witch? The mama dey crase? This boy will come back to Nigeria in 20 years time as a big star and the parents will tell everyone that that is our son. Mario Balotelli, the Somalian actor are just a few examples of children abandoned by Africa, embraced by the West and becoming big stars. AFRICA, wake up! Our government needs to solve the hunger problem of Africa. A hungry man sees witches in every household. AFRICA my AFRICA!

  • Author’s gravatar

    Shame on this little one’s parents. You have an obligation to nurture and feed your children. Shame shame shame.

    The fact that the headline of this article focuses on how much money was collected rather than such an atrocity can happen – shows how far society has spiraled down. Shame shame shame.

  • Author’s gravatar

    May God forgive the world.

  • Author’s gravatar

    Kai….The so called parents”,of this child must b found,tried n jailed. ..They must never b allowed to hv children,even their entire family members who kept mute n did not do anything for this child…Yeye tradition. ..They(his parent/s, n pple),are d real witches n wizards,n must b purnished….Kudos to d oyibo woman who rescued this child…

  • Author’s gravatar

    THIS IS THE DISPLAY OF AFRICA ALAS BLACK MAN.RIGHT NOW IN NIGERIA,A LOT INCLUDING THE YOUTH,EVIDENCE OF VIRILITY RESORT TO SUPERSTITION AND RELIGION TO HIDE THEIR WEAKNESS AND LAZINESS.THE PARENTS OF THIS TODDLER PROBABLY HAD FAILED SEVERALLY IN THEIR ENDEAVOR AFTER THE BIRTH OF THE LAD AND RESOLVED TO TAG HIM A WITCH OR WITCHCRAFT.SHAME ON YOU.THE WORST IS THE AUTHORITY WILL NOT GO AFTER THESE TO SERVE AS DETERRENT TO OTHER LAZY PARENTS…

    • Author’s gravatar

      Please shut up your mouth of filth. Talk about the issue at hand and stop the insults. Are there no white people who are poor and lazy ? I know many . The black man is lazy and this is why he was moved from Africa to Europe, Americas etc ?
      The issue here is ignorance on the part of some semi educated people and not the stupid accusations you bring up here .

  • Author’s gravatar

    Too much religion… Too much Pentecostalism… Too much ignorance… Too much idiocy. Whither Blackman…