Hope: Akwa Ibom boy branded a witch, stigmatized, left to die graduates from primary school














On January 30, 2016, Danish aid worker Anja Ringgren Lovén was photographed giving water to a severely malnourished 2-year-old boy, whom she rescued after he was branded a witch by his family and left to starve to death in Akwa Ibom. 
 
 
The boy had wandered the streets for months when Anja got a phone call and immediately led a rescue team, including her husband, David Emmanuel Umem, to bring the child to the Children's Education and Development Foundation (ACAEDF) aka “Land of Hope” 
 
 
Over the years, Hope not only survived but thrived, defying all the odds of being deaf. 
 
 
Fast forward to July 2025, Hope graduated from primary school and is headed to secondary school in September.
 
 
Anja Ringgren Lovén shared the good news in a Facebook post on Monday, August 25, adding that Hope graduated with one of the highest grades.
 
"Hope survived. He graduated this year and will start 
 secondary school next month. His story is world famous and every day I look at him and feel so grateful for his incredible development," she wrote. 
 
"If you get to know Hope you are lucky because he is so very unique. Hope is deaf but despite that he is able to communicate using sign language.
 
"Hope graduated from primary school with one of the highest grades.
 
"Not only is he very intelligent, he is a talented artist, an excellent dancer. 
 
"All the above makes me happy but some days it makes me think about the thousands of “Hope’s” out there who we will never get to know.
 "Never get to know because their lives are short. Once a child is accused of being a witch it’s the end.
 

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