In 2006, a photo shocked the world and spread across social media: a frail, malnourished Nigerian boy being given water and biscuits by a foreign woman. That image was not only a painful reminder of the millions of abandoned children in Africa, but also the beginning of a miraculous journey that would last nearly two decades.

The boy in the photo was only about two years old at the time. Rejected by his community, he had been wandering for months, emaciated and close to death. When Anja found him, she immediately brought him to her rescue center and gave him a new name:

Years later, the world saw another image that went viral: in 2013, Hope sat beside Anja, smiling brightly, healthy and full of life, wearing a sports jersey. The transformation touched millions of hearts and became proof of the power of love and persistence.

Hope was not only given food and shelter, but also the chance to go to school, to learn, and to dream of a future he had never thought possible. Anja often said: