The
world stood still for a Danish aid worker, Anja Ringgren Loven
after she miraculously rescued a toddler left to die by his family who
accused him of being a witch.
Loven rescued the boy abandoned by his family
Danish aid worker, Anja Ringgren Loven has found herself gathering
commendation after an extraordinary encounter with a toddler abandoned
and left for dead who was accused of being a witch.
Loven posted photos of the emaciated little boy, whom she named “Hope,” on Facebook on Jan. 31 and wrote the story that captured the interest of the world.
According to reports, Loven had received a tip that Hope, who was
no older than 3 years old, was abandoned by his family and left to die
in the streets after he was accused of witchcraft.
“When we heard that the child was only 2 to 3 years old, we did not hesitate,” Loven told Huffington Post UK. “A child that young cannot survive a long time alone on the streets. We immediately prepared a rescue mission.”
Loven is an aid worker, she founded the African Children’s Aid
Education and Development Foundation (ACAEDF) three years ago after traveling to Nigeria and being confronted with dozens of children such
as Hope.
The story of Hope is quite inspiring. He was rescued when all hope
was lost. His family had abandoned him, after he was dubbed a witch.
Hope was not Loven's first rescue. In 2014, many media outlets
reported that ACAEDF had rescued two 8-year-old children who were
accused of witchcraft by their family and tortured.
Hope is now recuperating
It is quite disheartening that some people could be cruel to a
helpless toddler and many others who are face with such terrible
accusation and left in total darkness all for superstition.
According to UNICEF, belief in witchcraft has been exploited by local churches and “pastor-prophets” who charge a fee to rid families of malevolent spirits.
The story of Hope is one that is inspiring which has opened the
eyes of the world to the terrible things happening in some part of the
world. Thanks to Loven for the audacity to accept the toddler even when
every other person abandoned her.
As a result of her goodwill, this has inspired a flood of donations
to a little-known aid organization that seeks to rescue the growing
number of children accused of witchcraft and many more will still come.
