Starving Nigerian boy left to die by his parents has first day at school

(Credit: Anja Ringgren Lovén Facebook page) 

In January 2016, an emaciated boy was found roaming the streets of southern Nigeria. One year later, he is starting his first day of school and looking healthy thanks to his rescuer.

The boy, now named Hope, was found by aid worker Anja Ringgren Loven.

Loven is the founder of DINNoedhjealp, which she created five years ago. The organization works on saving children accused of being witches in Nigeria and fights against the superstition.

"Thousands of children are being accused of being witches, and we've both seen torture of children, dead children and frightened children," Loven wrote on Facebook.

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Hope was one of the victims who had been abandoned by his family, who believed he was a witch, and had been living on food scraps.

Seeing the condition Hope was in, Loven rescued him in 2016 and shared his story on Facebook. The story went viral.

Now, one year later, Loven went to Facebook again to provide an update on Hope -- and the transformation will bring you to tears.

"On the 30 of January 2016, I went on a rescue mission with David Emmanuel Umem, Nsidibe Orok and our Nigerian team," Loven posted on Facebook. "A rescue mission that went viral, and today it's exactly 1 year ago the world came to know a young little boy called Hope. This week Hope will start school."

Thousands of followers shared the wonderful news and showed an outpouring of support for both Loven and Hope.

"I remember seeing that picture a year ago and it broke my heart," Jade Rahman commented. "I'm so happy to see a year on and how healthy Hope looks its amazing love the world needs more people like you Anja you do a great job looking out for these children."

"God bless you, I remember this story last year and I am crying looking at both pictures for different reasons, can't imagine the pains he was going through, yet he was tagged a wizard.....My God, an innocent little baby....God bless you Anja," Maudlyn Anumudu Olaomi commented.

"I've been following Hope's story the entire time," Miran Karako-Elgrissy commented. "Every update brings me to tears. It so easy to destroy yet so hard to rebuild. Hope is a true miracle sent to an angel named Anja. I wish the world would put an end to wars, hunger and unnecessary mortalities. Thank you for saving this young soul."