By Anifowoshe Oladipupo
Hope, the Nigerian boy once branded a “witch” and abandoned by his family in 2016, has graduated from primary school, a milestone that marks a powerful turnaround in his life.
His rescuer, Danish aid worker Anja Ringgren Lovén, shared the news with pride, celebrating the boy who is now a teenager.
Despite being deaf and communicating through sign language, Hope completed his primary education with one of the highest grades in his class.
Lovén, who runs the Land of Hope foundation in Akwa Ibom, described him as “very unique,” praising his intelligence, artistic gifts, and humor.
A viral 2016 image of Lovén giving the then two-year-old water brought global attention to the brutal practice of child witch branding in Nigeria.
Since then, Hope has thrived under the foundation’s care, which offers education, healthcare, and shelter to stigmatized children.
Hope is set to begin secondary school in September, his story standing as a testament to resilience and the power of compassion.
