A Nigerian boy aged a little over a year was accused of being a witch and abandoned by the parents to die. He was, however, rescued after eight months by an aide worker and has been nursed back to life.

The story of the boy, now aged two and named Hope, has been making global headlines since yesterday after it was related by his rescuer, Anja Ringgren Lovén, an aid worker from Denmark, who solicited donations for his welfare.

Sharing the photos on Facebook, she wrote: “Thousands of children are being accused of being witches and we’ve both seen torture of children, dead children and frightened children.

“This footage shows why I fight. Why I sold everything I own.”

After adding that Hope was in hospital and that donations were being accepted to help his recovery, over 1 million Danish kroner (around £103,000) was donated in two days, a Yahoo news report said.

It quoted Anja as saying that Hope is now stable in hospital, adding: “He is a strong little boy. To see him sit and play with my own son is without a doubt the greatest experience of my life.

“I simply do not know how to describe it in words. This is what makes life so beautiful and valuable and I will let the pictures here speak for themselves.”

Anja did not indicate the Nigerian state from which rescued the boy.

•Photo shows Danish aid worker Anja Ringgren Lovén feeding Hope after rescuing him.