Danish aid worker, Anja Ringgren Loven shared before and after photos of two children rescued from the bushes 5 years ago, after they were branded witches and banished by their families in Akwa Ibom. Mary, the girl pictured, when she was 9 years, was sexually abused and diagnosed with syphilis and gonorrhoea. See their photos and read loven's post on Facebook below:
Mary 2014 vs. Mary 2019
Ekong 2014 vs. Ekong 2019
5 years ago today I was in Denmark. David Emmanuel Umem called me in the morning. He told me that he had to go on a rescue mission. I was nervous for his safety. And nervous about the children he was going to rescue. It was said that they might not be alive. Later in the day, David sends me pictures of the children. He found a boy and a girl in the bushes. The children were almost naked with burns all over their bodies. Someone had tried to burn them alive. I was shocked. David and our team took the children to the hospital. They were both hospitalized for weeks. This was the day Mary and Ekong were rescued. Mary had been sexually abused. She was diagnosed with syphilis and gonorrhoea. Only 9 years old! #childrenarenotwitches.
Anja Loven Ringgren also shares before and after photos of a young boy, they rescued in Akwa Ibom two years ago after being branded a witch, beaten and abandoned on the street by his family. Her Post reads: This morning Facebook reminded me about what happened exactly 2 years ago today. On the 13 of February 2017 Nsidibe Orok, Director of Child Development of ACAEDF and I went on a rescue mission alone. A boy was abandoned and left alone on the street. We found the boy with scars all over his body. He was accused of being a witch. He was brutally beaten. This was the day Elijah was rescued, one of David Jr.’s best friends today.