Anja Ringgren Lovén

@davidumem and I finally found Hope´s mother !! I knew in my heart that someday we would find her - now we have! Earlier this year while David and I were filming the new documentary “Woman at the End of the World” our years of search finally ended. Millions of people in Poland have already witnessed the moment Hope sees his mother for the first time and it left them all in tears. I have known David for more than a decade and only seen him cry one time. When I picked up Hope to take him to see his mother who were waiting for him under our mango tree I saw David cry for the second time. Word´s cannot express the emotions that overwhelmed us in that moment. Hope´s mother was only 15 years old when she gave birth to Hope. She was still a child herself ! Hope´s father was at that time nearly 50 years old and he was the Village Head. Definitely not an equal relationship. Unfortunately it is very common for men in the rural communities to take any young girl they want to be their wife. While being pregnant Hope´s mother had to take care of her parents who both were very sick. After giving birth to Hope they both died. At the age of 15 years old Hope´s mother lost her parents and had to take care of Hope being a child herself. She named her baby Steven. Hope´s real name is Steven. Hope´s mother has stayed at Land of Hope and developed a close bond with Hope. It took him some time to forgive her but in Hope´s story his mother is innocent. She never left him in the village to die. She was forced to leave the village when she got pregnant with Hope´s younger brother Daniel at the age of only 16 years old. She was send to Lagos and this entire story involves rape, child labor and abuse and I can therefore not reveal all the details. What´s important is that Hope and his mother are reunited ❤️ Ps: When I was pregnant with our son, David suggested we name him Steven. #landofhope #reunited #hope #mother #son #love #childrennotwitches #specialmoment #unconditionallove

Thank you Poland ❤️🇵🇱❤️ I’m in Poland now because my book has been published in Polish and tomorrow is the premiere of the documentary “Woman at the End of the World” for @tvn.pl produced by @wbd First episode of “Woman at the End of the World” is filmed in Nigeria with @davidumem and I and takes you on an incredible and emotional journey showing how we work, our life at Land of Hope and how we rescue children accused of witchcraft. The documentary is hosted by @martyna.world a woman I’m proud to call my friend❤️ Not only did she climb the top of Mount Everest, she has completed the Seven Summits and dived deep into the world’s oceans. But most important is she the most caring woman fighting for the rights of the most vulnerable people all over the world. Get ready to watch the first episode tomorrow at TVN or @player.pl at 11.30 🇵🇱 Martyna and I will be on Polish TV morning show @dziendobrytvn so tune in at 10.58 📺🇵🇱 My book is releashed on the 6 of September in all book stores in Poland but you can buy it online already now at @empikcom and @swiatksiazki 📚 #landofhope #documentary #biography #childrennotwitches #poland #warsaw #childrenrights #womanattheendoftheworld #bookrelease

Do you remember this handsome young man ? 😍 It’s hard to believe that only 5 months ago David Peter was tortured by local community members who used a hammer to break his bones. His two knee joints were broken and his front teeth was removed with a plier !! David Peter used to live with his aunty and uncle. They accused him of using witchcraft spirit to poison their food and abandoned him. We rescued him before he was killed and was taken to Land of Hope by @davidumem and our team. Since the rescue of David Peter he has developed so much both mentally and physical. With all your support David Peter was examined by a dentist and gotten treatment in the hospital. David Peter was rescued when the school term was in session and could not be enrolled at the time. He will start school in September and is now enjoying his new life at Land of Hope. He's been learning to play the piano and he just loves it 🥰 #childrennotwitches #landofhope #childprotection #nigeria #education #justice #childrensrights #hope

Oh no not again 🥺 With 92 children at Land of Hope we face so many health challenges. Yesterday Uduak was accidentally kicked on the face during a football match. He was conscious at first but bleeding profusely through the nose and sustained an open wound of about 1.5 cm. Uduak developed an intense headache and fever due to nasal obstruction and was rushed to the hospital to prevent hypoxia. Thinking of all the emergencies and health challenges we have faced the past 6-8 months the list is long: Miracle fell and broke her arm and had to undergo 2 major operations followed by a long rehabilitation in the hospital. One of our girls found 2 big lumps in her breast and had to undergo surgery. During the operation the doctors found one more lump in her other breast. Mary Sam was rushed to the hospital due to an episode of convulsion. After several episodes of body spasms and examinations she has been diagnosed with epilepsy and is currently on medical treatment. Deborah was rushed to the hospital because she suddenly fainted while playing football and was in a coma. She had several seizures and after examinations she has been diagnosed with severe asthma. While David Jr. was playing with Ezekiel he suddenly fainted. Ezekiel has also been diagnosed with severe asthma. Mary and Grace have both been taken to the hospital to undergo several neurological examinations due to shaken hands. We are waiting for a diagnosis. Joseph has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and has been admitted in and out of hospitals. Gideon was rushed to the hospital with acute appendicitis and had his appendix removed. Victory had an epileptic attack and fell to the ground that caused a major head trauma injury and was rushed him to the hospital. King had severe malaria complications and had acute treatment in the middle of the night. I don´t know what we would do without your support. Between all the emergencies we have children on malaria and typhus treatment every day. Uduak is feeling better and even though I worry every day it gives me comfort knowing that whenever we need help you are always ready to support. Thank you ❤️

I often get the question: “Why are children accused of witchcraft ?” Short answer: Ignorance and poverty. But, I also need to add corruption and religion to the equation. Let me explain: To accuse children of being witches has become a way to explain misfortune and hardships such as death, divorce or illness in families and communities. Lack of education leads to limited knowledge about illnesses which when coupled with strong cultural beliefs, prompts people to search for superstitious answers. Children who are sick of malaria, typhus and other common tropical diseases and children who seem aggressive, introvert, stubborn or born with physical deformities are more likely to be accused of being witches. Children who are raised by a step mother or step father are also more likely to be accused of being witches and many times the stigma affects not only one child but all the children in the family because they eat, play and sleep together in the same room. But it goes deeper than just lack of education and extreme poverty. Laws that are meant to protect children are not being implemented and the number of children being accused of witchcraft is rising because it has become a profitable business. Pastors are richer than ever before because superstition, the practice of exorcism and black magic is a very profitable business. Hope is alive today. He was a few days away from dying, accused of being a witch. There are many more like Hope out there who needs our interaction and our voice to stand up for their rights ✊🏿 Support Land of Hope and help us save more lives ❤️ #landofhope #childrennotwitches #support Hope 📸 @mariojaniszewski75

I’m speechless !! 6 months ago Ernest left Land of Hope to study at Maritime Academy of Nigeria. I was so proud then and now I’m speechless because Ernest’s first semester results are here: He´s just 0.2 points away from achieving a First-class distinction !! 😱😱 I´m proud beyond words but also not so surprised because since @davidumem and I rescued Ernest 10 years ago he has progressed and progressed to a level that is unthinkable ! Ernest was the best student in his entire Secondary School and even held the prestigious role of Senior Prefect ! 10 years ago David and I went to a local village with a Danish documentary photographer @kappel_diem to film our work. We had planned to do an advocacy program but we ended up in a dangerous rescue mission. The local villagers came out with a little boy who had been living in the bushes for 2 years. It was Ernest. Some of the local villagers wanted to kill him because they said he was a witch ! They had already killed his friend. They caught Ernest and his friend one night while they were sleeping inside the bushes. Ernest escaped and saw from a distance how his friend were tied with a robe around his neck and tied to a car. The car started driving and did not stop before his friend died! Look at Ernest today! Not only is he a survivor. Not only is he excelling academically and leading his peers. Ernest is the most gentle, kind and helpful young man you will ever meet. Congratulations Ernest. Keep rising against all odds. You are my star ⭐️ #childrennotwitches !! #landofhope

Do you remember Elijah ? 6 years ago I was on a rescue mission with Land of Hope Director of Child Development @nsidibeorok We received a phone call from a local police station. Two boys were accused of being witches, one was missing and the other was tortured. A local villager found the tortured boy and brought him to the police station. The boy´s name was Elijah and he did not speak English. He was very scared and traumatized. Elijah told us that his mother died and because of that his grandmother accused him and his brother of being witches. I was shocked to see Elijah’s naked body when we took him to Land of Hope to give him a shower. He had cuts from knives all over his body. ( see story ). Since the rescue of Elijah 6 years ago we have searched for his brother. His name is Ezekiel. But we have not been able to find him. Truth be told the chance of finding Ezekiel alive today is not very high. But we don´t give up. Today Elijah is the best student in his class. If you have followed Land of Hope for a long time you will know that I have shared updates about Elijah and his academic success. He did not speak one word of English the day we rescued him but only a few months after he came to Land of Hope he spoke almost fluent English and during his first end of year result from school he took first position. He continues to take first position in school. He has so much talent. He loves to play football, to read books and then he is very caring and helpful. Thank you all for supporting Land of Hope. You are saving lives. #landofhope #childrennotwitches ‼️

I can finally reveal that earlier this year I made a new documentary with @tvn.pl called “Woman at the End of the World” a Warner Bros. production 🎥 “Woman at the End of the World” is a breathtaking documentary series that takes you on a journey to the most distant and unique places in the world hosted by @martyna.world an editor of National Geographic magazine and the most brave woman who reached Seven Summits. First episode takes place in Nigeria where Martyna visits me at Land of Hope and follows me in my work with the children and on field and rescue missions in the local communities which can be very dangerous and difficult. It’s not been easy for me to keep this secret because something happened during filming that I never thought would happen and I cannot wait for the world to see! It’s going to be very emotional, fascinating and powerful. First episode comes out on the 3 of September 🎥 A Cinema version of the documentary from only Land of Hope was also filmed and is set to premiere 31 of August in Poland. Name of the documentary is yet to be revealed. #landofhope #nigeria #documentary #womanattheendoftheworld #tvn #warnerbros #childrennotwitches

Children are NOT witches !! I could not be more proud !! 😭 The Nigerian National Sports Festival is a multi-sport event that takes place once every two years for students from Nigeria´s 36 states. Students are selected to represent their state through competitions and to end up among the few to represent your state is not easy. And do you know what ??……! Rita, Saviour and Idong have been selected to represent Eket Local Government !! 💪🏿😭👏🏻👏🏻❤️ That´s the first step. Next step is tomorrow where Rita, Saviour and Idong will go to Uyo ( capital of Akwa Ibom State ) to compete against students from other local governments. Akwa Ibom State has 31 local governments so nearly 400 students will compete against each other tomorrow in different sport and age categories. Rita, Saviour and Idong have trained hard all this week at the stadium to be ready for tomorrow´s competition. Rita, Saviour and Idong were almost our son’s age when @davidumem and I rescued them in 2013, accused of being witches and abandoned !! Look at them today !!! 💪🏿 Please help me and wish them good luck tomorrow 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 #childrennotwitches #landofhope #sportcompetition #akwaibom #nigeria #childrensrights #dreamit #hope #determination

I was talking with Land of Hope Director of Education yesterday about the children´s academic skills and development. One of the children who has developed very fast in school this year is Saviour. Education breeds confidence and Saviour has gained a lot of confidence since his rescue. It was December 2019 and the children and I were decorating Land of Hope with Christmas trees. We were singing Christmas songs and I never imagined that this joyful day would end up the way it did. The holiday spirit was suddenly erupted when we got an emergency call. A child was spotted alongside the road lying in between iron pipes. He was half naked and in severe pain. He was literally crying of pain. I never thought that Saviour would survive but against all odds he did and for the past 3 years he has developed into such a handsome young boy with a growing confidence. 3 years ago Saviour could not even read two words. Today he is in Primary 4 and can read books and write essays. He is above average and when he speaks his words are always coordinated. Thank you Saviour for being the light you are. Your smile is healing. Forever I will love you. #childrennotwitches #landofhope #nigeria #childrensrights #education #development #love #hope #saviour

Most of my daily thoughts are not filled with pride, joy and happiness. On the contrary, most often my thoughts consist of hopelessness, worries and that I could do more. I know the only limits that exist are the ones in our own mind and I also use to tell the children that “if you can dream it, you can do it”. Yesterday I received this picture of Queen from her graduation. I cannot in words express how seeing her with her hat and graduation gown made me feel. All I can say is that in every bit of darkness, light will always find its way to shine a glimpse of hope. I recently wrote about Queen and the horror and evil she faced when she was accused of being a witch. She was almost burned alive ! Take a good look at her today. Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it. Congratulations Queen 🎓 “If you can dream it, you can do it” 🌟 #childrennotwitches #landofhope #childrensrights #graduation #nigeria #dreamit #doit #queen #congratulations

I remember someone once asked me if we celebrate the children’s birthdays. 10 years ago we actually did because we only had 11 children under our care but with 92 children today it’s impossible for us to celebrate that many parties. But I don’t think the kids would mind if we celebrated almost 100 birthday parties every year 😂🎉 Also some of our children don’t know when they were born and if their parents are not alive other family members don’t always know their date of birth. But despite the challenges we don’t want our children not to be celebrated. We celebrate 3 x birthday months at the same time and this week was the celebration of all our children born in April, May and June. Please help me to congratulate: Miracle, Faith, Anefiok, Samuel, Peace, Abraham, Michael, Covenant, Mary, Abasiofon, Esther, King, Grace and Philomena 🎉🎂🎈 Love you big time !! ❤️❤️❤️ #landofhope #happybirthday #celebration #childrennotwitches #nigeria #love #happiness #birthdaycake #congratulations