“His Life Was Ending,” a Woman Rescued a Starving, Ill Boy; Look at Him 9 Years Later

Anja Ringgren Lovén is an incredible Danish humanitarian with a heart of gold! She’s dedicated her life to saving and caring for children in desperate situations, giving them a second chance at life. The world first fell in love with her in 2016 when a powerful photo of her rescuing a severely malnourished little boy, later named "Hope," touched millions of hearts. Back then, people everywhere were moved to tears by his heartbreaking condition.

But today, we have something truly special to share with you—an update on Hope’s life now. And trust us, you might want to grab some tissues because his transformation is nothing short of a miracle. Get ready to witness pure joy!

The little boy was abandoned and malnourished when Anja rescued him.

Hope’s story is one that will truly touch your heart. In 2016, Anja Ringgren Lovén, a remarkable humanitarian, came across a tiny, two-year-old boy wandering alone in a Nigerian village.

He was severely malnourished, weak, and completely abandoned by his parents. It was a heartbreaking sight—one no child should ever have to endure.

But fate had something incredible in store for him. Anja, the founder and director of Land of Hope, an organization dedicated to rescuing and caring for abandoned children, didn’t hesitate for a second. She took him in, gave him a name full of promise—Hope—and, along with her team, helped him on his journey to recovery.

Anja has already saved many children from starvation and death, and she won’t stop doing this.

To kickstart her incredible journey, Anja Ringgren Lovén took a bold step in 2012 by founding a Danish non-governmental organization with a powerful mission—to raise awareness about the dangers of superstition in Africa, particularly in Nigeria.

Determined to make a real difference, she set foot in Nigeria for the first time the following year, ready to change lives. Her passion for helping children wasn’t just a mission—it became her life. Anja is married to a Nigerian man, David Umem, and together, they’ve built something truly extraordinary.

Through their NGO, Land of Hope, they have rescued over a hundred children who had been abandoned by their families. But they didn’t stop there! With dedication and love, they created what is now known as the biggest children’s center in West Africa—Land of Hope in Akwa Ibom—a safe haven where these kids can heal, grow, and reclaim their childhood.

Anja will never forget the day when she met Hope, a little boy, who was literally dying.

In one of her interviews, Anja said, "I was born and raised in one of the worlds’ safest and richest countries, Denmark. So to live and work in Nigeria has been a challenge and learning experience."

"In 2014, I gave birth to me and David’s first child, David Jr. and being a mother to a Nigerian baby, and going on 7 years now, living in Nigeria has turned me into a Nigerian. But before travelling to Nigeria, I had spent years in Africa working as a humanitarian worker, so I had a lot of experience in Africa. But Nigeria is, unfortunately, a country with many problems. And this is a big concern to me."

One of the many children whose lives have been completely transformed by Anja and her team is Hope—a little boy who was left to die at just two years old. His parents abandoned him, leaving him frail, severely malnourished, and suffering from parasitic infections. With his tiny body ravaged by hunger and illness, he was cast out by his own community. For eight long months, he struggled to survive, waiting for what seemed like an inevitable fate.

But fate had something much greater in store for him. In January 2016, Anja and her team found Hope in the most heartbreaking condition—but they refused to let his story end there. They stepped in, gave him urgent medical care, nourishment, and most importantly, love.

The woman did her best to make the little boy feel the brightest side of life after what he had been through.

On how Hope was rescued, Anja said, "David, our team and I were on a rescue mission when we got a tip from a local villager about a young child in need of rescue. So we drove to the village to look at the case."

"Before the rescue of Hope, we had already rescued more than 50 children, who were also in a terrible condition, so we were well-prepared. The parents of Hope were not in the village and had left him alone on the street. We took Hope to the hospital for treatment and the rest is history. Today, he is a very healthy and strong young boy who loves to go to school and play with his friends at Land of Hope."

In one of her Instagram posts back in 2024, Anja wrote, "It’s been almost 9 years since I rescued Hope. Time flies and love heals."

The boy is all grown up now, and he’s thriving, surrounded by loved ones.

In another post, Anja told the story of how Hope was rescued, saying, "Hope was born January 2013 making him 10 years old today. The story of his rescue was witnessed by the entire world, and he became the face of our work."

"Hope’s development is so powerful. His life was ending when I found him. His body was already dead. But love and resilience won in the end. Yesterday at Hope’s school the students celebrated the end of the school term with a cultural day."

"Hope was wearing agbada, worn widely in Nigeria but more by the Yoruba tribe and around almost all part of West Africa."

Recently, Anja posted a video that left so many people overwhelmed by emotions.

Recently, the woman posted a very emotional video on her Instagram page. The footage showed Hope, from the very first moment she met him, till the present time, and she showed how Hope was healing both with his body and soul throughout these years. The video has amassed over 16,000 likes so far, but the most emotional part of it are the comments, which showed how many people really care about the little boy and the kids like him.

One person wrote, "Ooomg, I remember all those videos, I've seen him grow into this magnificent little man. Thank you, my dear for finding him! You are amazing ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️"

Another person added, "His photo touched me so much back then. That's how I came here and stayed. Thank you so much for HOPE ❤️❤️❤️"

One more netizen wrote, "Oh my heart. Thank you for posting this update. He's growing beautifully, such a handsome young man. Thank you for caring, nurturing and loving them."

And here's a story of a single mom from Illinois, who adopted a very ill, abandoned girl many years ago. Today, the kid is all grown up and she has become an Olympic Champion. Read the inspiring story and get charged with a dose of positivity and hope.