The rescue mission that changed everything
(Excerpt from Anja’s book, “Mother of the Witch Children” – 2020):

“The moment I spotted the boy, my whole body froze. He was gaunt, filthy, and sitting alone in the shade of a banana tree at the bottom of a small hill. Maybe three years old—but tough to guess because he was skin and bones. We had come to rescue him.

As we approached, the locals formed a circle around him, and suddenly he began to dance. Mechanically, as if someone had dropped a coin into him. His eyes were empty, his arms and legs like matchsticks. In his hand, a crushed soda can. The people cheered.

Then his legs gave out and he collapsed hard. A local man lifted him up again, and he continued his death-dance. I knelt in front of him—I almost recoiled from the stench. A sour, rancid smell, as if he was rotting away. His belly was bloated with malnutrition, ribs protruding, and his body coated in dry dirt and filth. I offered him a biscuit and some water. He drank gratefully. And I said, ‘We’re taking you with us.’”

The whole world watched as Land of Hope founder Anja Ringgren Lovén rescued this little boy, later named Hope. His name became a symbol of compassion and the fight against harmful superstitions.

“How is Hope today?”

On rescue day—January 30, 2016—no one knew if he would survive. He was in critical condition. We cleaned him gently, got him to a hospital (which usually refuses dirty “witch children”), and treated the many infections in his frail body.

Hope came back to life! Not just physically—he also changed Anja’s life and inspired many when his story spread worldwide. Even today, years later, we’re often asked:

“How is Hope doing?”
He is doing well.

Since rescue, Hope hasn’t developed spoken language. He communicates through sounds of his own making, but he doesn’t speak words. Multiple ear exams confirmed he is hearing impaired and likely deaf. Though hearing aids were offered, he prefers to rely on his own way of communicating—mostly through dance.

“Hope speaks with his eyes, his hands, and his heart. He never utters a word—but he says more than most,” Anja often says

Hope and Anja’s biological son, David Junior, grew up together as brothers and remain inseparable. We also reunited Hope with his biological mother and discovered he has a younger brother named Daniel—who one day we hope he will meet.

Hope’s real name is Steven, but to us he will always be Hope.

Today we celebrate Hope’s education milestone

Millions of people have followed Hopes transformation process, and now we can all celebrate that Hope has completed primary school—the equivalent of elementary school.

In Nigeria, Hope attends a regular school and must work hard to follow along because of his hearing challenges. He’s discovered writing as a new way to communicate—and he’s especially strong in math. Finishing primary school is a huge step forward and an important marker in his life.

What about the future?

We don’t know yet. We don’t expect him to develop conventional language, and opportunities in Nigeria remain limited. Yet Hope is diligent, kind, intelligent—and we believe his future holds promise.

Maybe doors will open outside Nigeria—time will tell.

For now, Hope will enjoy summer break at Land of Hope before starting secondary school in September.

From a starving witch-child to a shining student—Hope’s transformation reminds us that hope is real, everywhere. Let’s never loose hope.