Land of Hope Children's Center
In Akwa Ibom, Nigeria, lies the children’s center Land of Hope. A protected area spanning over 30,000 square meters, where all 94 children live together. Anja and David’s dream was to build a safe haven for children who are abandoned and abused due to adults’ superstitions.
A safe haven
Behind guards and protective walls you will find hope. Here lives the founder of Land of Hope, Anja Lovén, along with her husband, David Umem, and the 94 “witch children” they have rescued over the past 10 years.
On a daily basis, 50 employees operate the children’s center and make sure the children receive nutritious meals, attend school, participate in sports, process traumas, develop talents, and receive medical treatment at the children’s center clinic. Meanwhile, Anja travels back and forth between Denmark and Nigeria to raise funds, and David fights for the children’s rights politically and legally.
Running West Africa’s largest children’s center is not an easy life.
The children's daily life
Inside Land of Hope the walls are decorated in colorful art with words like ‘Hope’ and ‘Love Lives Here’. They stand in contrast to the presence of barbed wire and armed guards, that reflects the looming danger of kidnapping and attacks outside.
Three to four children live together in rooms, each with its own toilet. They are divided into girls and boys and have separate houses. All rooms are painted in beautiful colors, and in both houses, there is a common area where they eat, do homework, play, and sing.
Near the entrance you find a football field. The children are very active, as sports have a therapeutic effect. We also have a volleyball court and a music room where they learn to play instruments and sing.
Anja
It still amazes me that with the amount of donations we raise from our supporters, we can create good lives for so many children.
Farming and Self-Sufficiency
It has always been a goal to make Land of Hope self-sufficient.
We cultivate vegetables such as cucumbers, yams, carrots, and tomatoes on large areas outside Land of Hope, which we lease from the local government. Inside, we have mango and banana trees. We breed our own catfish in large fish tanks and have a chicken farm with more than 5,000 chickens.
Farming is going well, and it is now large enough that we can sell what we don’t consume ourselves at local markets, thereby generating income for operations.
Community health care
Land of Hope aims to be an educational and support center that extends beyond just the children. We want to play an active role in the local community and change the conditions that contribute to the existence of superstition altogether.
That’s why we have built our own hospital with an operating room and space for up to 20 patients. We want to be able to offer healthcare to poor villagers who otherwise have no access. The hospital currently operates as a clinic where our own nurses work, and where we admit children if they become sick.
Additionally, we’re constructing a conference center for our educational outreach efforts.
Here’s how you can help
94 children live at Land of Hope. We live like a family, so your support goes towards very ordinary, basic things that are often taken for granted:
– Three daily meals
– Furniture and mattresses for the children’s rooms
– The children’s education and books
– Transportation to and from areas that are too dangerous to walk in
Additionally, we need funds for medicine, hospital visits, and the amazing staff who take care of the children on a daily basis and ensure that they process their traumas and face a brighter future.
Donation
You can choose to make a donation to Land of Hope’s work or become a regular supporter of our work with a fixed monthly donation. Regular support provides us with a strong foundation as we fight dangerous superstitions and save more children’s lives.
PayPal
Send a donation to
anja@landofhope.dk
Wear your support
When you wear our “Hope” t-shirt, you help spread the word about our work. We have developed a range of soft, organic cotton t-shirts and hoodies for both adults and children. You can purchase these from our webshop. All proceeds from the sales go to the children at Land of Hope.
