‘Real-Life Mowgli’ Who Ate Grass In Forest Unrecognizable After ‘Miracle’ Transformation

You could often find Rwandan boy Zanziman Ellie among the trees in the jungle, running away from his peers. The boy’s unusual behavior had people call him the “real-life Mowgli,” a popular character from the story “The Jungle Book” by Rudyard Kipling.

But he’s barely unrecognizable today, as he donned a smart suit and sneakers to attend school.

Zanziman was a bullying victim who found himself mingling among animals under the thick covering of trees to flee from them. He was born with microcephaly, a birth defect that gave him a head smaller than average. It was also the reason for the harsh bullying he went through.

His mom couldn’t help but think that what happened to his son was a “miracle.” He was also denied school education by the village’s chief, who mistakenly thought he was mentally incapable of concentrating in class.

Zanziman was called a “monkey” because of his behavior. But these were all things that led up to his life now, prompting a film crew that was interested in making a documentary about him.

The documentary was uploaded on YouTube through Afrimax TV, and his story became a huge success.

Now 23 years old, Zanziman was initially a disgrace to the local community, which caused him to spend most of his time in the forest. He became capable of foraging for his own food and surviving on plants for food. But lack of human communication meant he could not speak the human language when found.

A GoFundMe page was started by Afrimax TV to help him get back on his feet. Donations poured in from viewers worldwide who wanted to give him and his mother a new life.

Zanziman was sent to a school for students with special needs, thanks to the donation. The school he attends, Ubumwe Community Centre, sees him go there in suits and a new pair of shoes!

His mother couldn’t help but share how grateful she felt about the changes that had happened to their life, “God is a miracle worker. He was being ridiculed, and I would often run after him. At the moment, he is in school with his peers, and I am so happy.”

“My son is having a good life, well-wishers have built me a house… my sorrow has been taken away.”

From a shunned member of the community to a celebrity – Zanziman is now a star who constantly has people asking him to stop for a picture with them!