A starving
child who was left for dead by his parents who thought he was a witch
has been pictured full of joy as he sets off for for his first day at
school.
Photographs
of the little boy known as Hope broke the world's hearts last year
after a charity worker found him emaciated and riddled with worms after
being abandoned.
Having
made a miraculous recovery, the now healthy-looking youngster set off
to embark on his education in a strapping red outfit.
A year on from being found abandoned (right), the boy known as Hope is off to school (left)
The healthy-looking boy has made a remarkable recovery after his traumatic ordeal
Hope was rescued by Danish charity worker Anja Ringgren Loven, who was working in Africa.
Hope, pictured with Anja, was abandoned by his parents because they though he was a witch.
Anja, who works with a number of children in Nigeria, sits with Hope and another child on her lap.
The then two-year-old Nigerian boy was found in a shocking state last year.
Hope
was abandoned by his family because they thought he was a witch and was
found in the streets by Anja Ringgren Loven, a Danish woman living in
Africa, in January 2016.
Almost
a year on to the day, she posted amazing before and after photographs
of her holding a water bottle up to the boy's mouth.
In an emotional Facebook post, she wrote: 'On the 30th of January 2016 I went on a rescue mission with David Emmanuel Umem, Nsidibe Orok and our Nigerian team.
'A rescue mission that went viral, and today it's exactly one year ago the world came to know a young little boy called Hope
'This week Hope will start school.'
Hope (pictured), was emaciated and
riddled with worms when he was discovered naked and wandering the
streets on January 31, 2016 by Anja (pictured, right).
Hope was
abandoned by his family because they thought he was a witch and was
found in the streets by Anja Ringgren Loven (pictured together)
Back in January, Ms Loven found the boy after he spent eight months fending for himself and living off scraps.
She
bent down and gently began feeding him and giving him water from a
bottle. She then wrapped up the disorientated toddler in a blanket and
took him to the nearest hospital for treatment.
When
Hope reached the hospital, he was given medication to remove the worms
from his stomach and daily blood transfusions to incorporate more red
blood cells into his body, Ms Loven said.
And
two days after the aid worker asked for the community's help with
Hope's costly medical bills, she received more than $1million in
donations from around the world.
Ms Loven wrapped up the disorientated toddler in a blanket and took him to the nearest hospital
When Hope reached the hospital, he was given medication to remove the worms from his belly and daily blood transfusions
Ms Loven is
pictured helping give Hope a bath after he was found walking the
streets starving, disorientated and riddled with worms.
Just eight weeks later, Hope was unrecognisable having gained weight and pictured smiling and playing with other children.
Ms Loven is the founder of African Children's Aid Education and Development Foundation,
which she created three years ago to help children who have been
labelled witches and therefore neglected or even killed by the members
of their community.
'Thousands
of children are being accused of being witches and we've both seen
torture of children, dead children and frightened children,' she wrote
on Facebook, accompanying images of her feeding the young boy and
appealing for donations to help pay for his medical bills in January.
'With
all the money, we can, besides giving Hope the very best treatment, now
also build a doctor clinic on the new land and save many more children
out of torture.'
she said two months after his rescue.
Hope looked unrecognisable after gaining weight and he has been pictured smiling for the camera eight weeks after he was found
Hope gained weight and was pictured smiling and playing with other children (left)
This picture was published less than two months after Hope was found and shows just how much his health had improved
Hope (right) is pictured sitting with
African Children's Aid Education and Development Foundation education
officer, Don Udowan, and Felix, one
Hope is pictured having his hair cut at the centre in Nigeria after he was rescued on January 31
Hope is pictured
looking at a book with two other children. He looks nothing like the
starving boy found by Anja Ringgren Loven, a Danish woman living in
Africa, on January 31, 2016.
Ms Loven runs a children's centre where the youngsters she saves live and receives medical care, food and schooling.
She and her husband, David Emmanuel Umem, began building their own orphanage in late January last year.
They regularly share posts of their progress on social media and have garnered a huge following.

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