She Became Inspiration for Millions
‘Tis the season for giving, and this time of year it’s easy to get wrapped up in finding the perfect gift. However, after hearing about Danish aid worker Anja Ringgren Loven, I was reminded of what is truly important so, for this article, I decided to write about her and what she is doing.
Recently German-language Ooom Magazine compiled an international list of 100 inspiring individuals in 2016, and Loven topped it, even beating out Pope Francis, and the Dalai Lama. Loven has been recognized as the most influential person in the world for her efforts to help abandoned children accused of being witches in Nigeria.
In 2012 Lovén sold everything she owned to start a humanitarian mission, before founding the African Children’s Aid Education and Development Foundation.
In February of this year, Loven spotted a desperately emaciated 2-year-old boy who could barely stand. According to her, the boy who she calls Hope had been abandoned by his parents because they believed he was a “witch child”. After being abandoned, Hope was forced lived on the streets alone and had been surviving on scraps. When Loven found him, she says, he was riddled with worms and after rushing him to the hospital, he had to have daily blood transfusions.
A heartbreaking photo of Loven giving Hope a drink of water quickly went viral. The image highlighted the work she is doing and the need for aid in third world countries. By reaching out through Facebook asking for help with Hope’s medical bills, Loven received more than one million dollars in donations from around the world.
And after a short time in the hospital, Hope was unrecognizable, he had put on weight and was smiling, laughing and playing with the other children.
Georg Kindel, OOOM’s editor-in-chief explained to The Independent that the reason for choosing Loven was because she is “a beacon of hope and the most inspiring person of 2016. When she saw the starving child, she acted like a human being and became an inspiration for millions. Her sustained efforts to help the abandoned children of Nigeria gives us hope and encourages us to follow suit.”
After giving Hope the very best medical treatment, with the remaining money Loven and her husband built a doctor’s clinic where they can help many more children.
Feature Image Source: Inspired.com
