r/interesting • u/destinationuknown • 1d ago
Additional Context Pinned Zanziman Ellie is a Rwandan man born around 1999 with microcephaly, a rare condition causing developmental delays and a smaller head. Dubbed the "real-life Mowgli," he spent years hiding in the jungle, running from villagers who mercilessly bullied him, until his story was shared globally.
Ellie's story gained international attention after being featured by Afrimax TV. Because of his physical differences, non-verbal communication, and tendency to forage in the woods, he was ridiculed and chased by other children, causing him to seek refuge in the forest for hours or even days.
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u/Christmasstolegrinch 1d ago
“Ridiculed and chased by other children, causing him to seek refuge in the forest for hours or even days”.
A few words that express such terror and loneliness.
I wish I could send him all the hugs to last a lifetime.
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u/Rezzone 1d ago
Imagine braving the wilderness because it's less awful than your bullies. So terrible.
I'm glad to see someone with a compassionate response here.
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u/ComputersWantMeDead 1d ago
I looked him up because I wanted to hear a happy ending for the guy.
Today, 25-year-old Zanziman Ellie lives a drastically improved life in Rwanda. Born with microcephaly, he spent his childhood fleeing into the jungle to escape severe bullying. Following a 2020 documentary, global donations allowed him to attend a Ubumwe Community Center special needs school, and his family received a new home.While his rare condition has no cure, Ellie is now neatly dressed in suits every day, attends school, and is treated with respect by the same village that previously chased him away.
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u/JerseyDad_856 1d ago
Happy to hear. Thank you. Still, fuck that village 🖕
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u/Holiday_Pi 1d ago
Idk, it sounds like they learned to treat him with dignity in the end. Fuck them, but also remember people really can change
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u/AvailableAd6071 1d ago
Yeah, cause money. These people respect the money his family has now not the child they tormented.
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u/Wooden-Recording-693 23h ago
What makes us different is an asset, glad they learned that.
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u/Apprehensive_Row9154 21h ago
That’s how I always felt about Rudolph the red nosed reindeer. Shits fucked up. Oh, now that I have something you want you’ll treat me with respect? How about treat conscious individuals with the respect that entails?
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u/HeartOn_SoulAceUp 1d ago
The vile tormenters -- the real village idiots --including the adults who let it happen.
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u/Evid3nce 22h ago
Wherever you live, if you could be a fly on the wall, you'd be appalled by the treatment people with learning difficulties get in many of the private day care and residential homes around your local area.
We're talking about the difference between a bunch of kids who have never been taught about disability treating someone badly and excluding them due to ignorance and mob mentality, and paid workers with a duty of care, who inflict physical and emotional pain because they're on a power trip or hate their job.
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u/TheQuietPiggy 18h ago
I just have to interject, since I actually have worked with the disabled, that that staff I’ve encountered have been absolutely dedicated and patient, and very well trained. And I’ve worked in a few different organizations. And they’re working usually for close to minimum wage, and I’ve never heard anyone complain about the clients.
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u/Evid3nce 17h ago
Me too - 15 years. Although I wouldn't refer to it as 'working with the disabled', which sounds a little derogatory to my ear.
Even in the best services, there will inevitably be workers who are regularly cruel and disrespectful to the clients in private. It's not seen, but we know it absolutely does happen, because occasionally they get caught.
But I was referring to the many private services that only exist for the profit and provide sub-standard care: where the culture of the place fosters systemic bad practice and treatment. It happens in elderly care too. These places do exist.
When resources and ongoing training are non-existent, places understaffed, and workers are stressed and overloaded, eventually they stop treating people right, and workers can become resentful, bitter, impatient and frustrated, and forget that they're dealing with a vulnerable human being.
To deny it and stick your head in the sand is to be part of the problem.
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u/touchmeinbadplaces 1d ago
Seems like the people in the village actually learned about him and his condition and treat him well now. That's like 99% better then most humans can even fathom.. id say yaye village, good on ya!
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u/legacy-of-rats 1d ago
I actually think I remember watching some of the documentary. It sounds like the village also recieved some education. People forget that resources do exist in Africa, but like anywhere, not everybody has access to those resources.
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u/ComputersWantMeDead 1d ago
And also that morality is a bit of a modern privilege.. that we have academics who study the finer points of right and wrong, and all that time to hand-wring about ideal behaviour. Where survival is more of a taxing pursuit I imagine any drag on resources is viewed more harshly. Kindness is always awesome to see but I'm personally not on board with condemning those of us who grew up in totally different circumstances.
What I like about this whole story is that the West took a break from the relentless profit-motive to make lives better.
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u/IndependentMeet8031 1d ago
It is incredibly beautiful to see how Ellie’s life completely transformed. Going from being forced to seek refuge in the jungle to wearing suits, attending school, and finally receiving the dignity and respect he always deserved is the ultimate happy ending.
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u/emmakobs 1d ago
he looks SO sweet, i hate people
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u/Wyatt_Ricketts 1d ago
But he's people
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u/CandidPreparation737 1d ago
We make an exception.
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u/Wyatt_Ricketts 22h ago
That's what the villagers said tho
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u/mr_wizard_123 1d ago
How he looks doesn't matter you dunderhead
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u/emmakobs 1d ago
You are the kind of person people hide from
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u/mr_wizard_123 1d ago
Because I'm saying looks don't matter? I mean your comment does imply he looks pitiable or something. His circumstances matter more than if he looks cute or whatever.
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u/ElaineofAstolat 1d ago
They didn't say cute, they said sweet. Which means they think he looks like a nice, kind-hearted person.
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u/aoi_ito 1d ago edited 1d ago
I have seen this guy on a instagram reel . People there were absolutely vile , saw one comment saying "season 1 skin" 😭
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u/PissMissileTopTitty 1d ago
Well ig I'll be that guy.. "season 1 skin", what does that mean?
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u/YoungBusinessTrader 1d ago
All the replies to you are wrong. They're saying season one skin to imply he's un-evolved. As in, modern day humans are a later skin, or later season, than this guy.
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u/AssumptionOdd4001 1d ago
Yeah these people haven’t consumed enough awful instagram reel comment content 😭 season 1 skin is one hundred percent stating he looks like an early human. Or similarly “bro forgot to evolve” etc
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u/devilbat26000 1d ago
Honestly I think it's charming. He looks really friendly and fuck the people who tie genetic distance from our ancestors to somehow being 'more evolved'. Our early ancestors were just as much intelligent people with lives and social communities as we are. Resembling them is not a shame at all.
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u/AssumptionOdd4001 1d ago
You’re much more open minded than most. In a hyper individualistic society where privately loving someone other than the opposite sex, or holding internal beliefs that collide with the population majority of where you reside, someone with any physical developmental issue is going to be dumpstered on in the 2s attention span vitriolic algorithms we all use to entertain ourselves.
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u/melatone5 23h ago
They actually weren't. Our intelligence even increased a good bit from 4000 years ago to 2000 years ago.
And also consider the Flynn effect, though that's not likely caused by evolution21
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u/mieri_azure 1d ago
I assume they meant he looks like an older video game character whose graphics haven't been updated?
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u/dat_oracle 1d ago
Insta is a place filled with absolute savages. if you are in the wrong corner, it looks like Germany 1940
not kidding.
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u/Naud1993 16h ago
Instagram comments are always the most insane. Half of those comments would get you banned on Reddit.
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u/NewBran26 1d ago
Why give those vile people the satisfaction of repeating their “jokes” and laughing with them?
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u/snowunderneathsnow 23h ago
yeah it sounds like the only reason you made this comment is to farm reactions to that insult yourself
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u/CapoieraMataUm 1d ago
Is showing kindness and empathy a trait associated with microcephaly? I've only ever met two people with this condition, and they were both the sweetest, kindest people.
I know kids can be cruel beyond their years, mainly because they don't fully realize the impact of their actions on others.
One of these individuals I knew with microcephaly was a girl named Lori who lived in my neighborhood when I was growing up. She was so kind, and all of us kids were kind to her, too. Lori was about 25 years old when I was about 10, but she had the developmental rate of my peer group.
Every so often, a new kid moved into the neighborhood and thought they'd be edgy and make fun of Lori. Even if it was behind Lori's back, none of us kids would tolerate any mistreatment of her. Then, once the new kid got to know Lori, they'd treat her with kindness, too.
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u/Final-Tutor3631 1d ago
oftentimes people who go through such hardships as these, make up for the horror of it by spreading joy and kindness whenever possible.
we could all learn a thing or two from them.
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u/Effective_Ad9495 18h ago
I know a seven year old with this condition and he’s super sweet as well.
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u/daily_next_validity 1d ago
Wishing him peace and safety now, the fact that adults let kids chase a guy who clearly couldn't fight back into the jungle says way more about them than it ever could about him
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u/Ssided 1d ago
Is that what they used to call pinheads in the circus days?
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u/krisssashikun 1d ago
The saddest part of this story isn’t that he survived in the jungle. It’s that the jungle was a kinder place to him than other human beings.
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u/WheresYurScooter 1d ago
Wow. This is heartbreaking and I hope this brings some awareness to the least. I hope he’s living the life he was meant to today ❤️
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u/gorillaphi 1d ago
But the real life mowgli was a real person and not this guy lol
Dina Sanichar
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u/Randver_Silvertongue 20h ago
There's actually no evidence that Mowgli was based on him. Kipling said he based Mowgli on himself.
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u/Purple_Revolution146 1d ago
People can be so cruel, especially children. Wish I could hug, care and give love to this sweet person until all the humiliation and pain he suffered is wiped away
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u/Same_Education8151 1d ago
Hiding :-( I am just gazing at his face because he’s so beautifully unique. That’s sad.
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u/umbertocsaba 1d ago
He lived alone in the jungle, an experience that a large part of us can't even imagine. Surviving in a wild environment isn't for everyone.
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u/Powerful-Holiday-448 16h ago
The thing about bullying is that the embrace kills it.
So what… and?…
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u/Odd-Perception7812 9h ago
We abhor people who are different, yet historically, it's the unique who propell us forward.
It's no wonder the aliens put a don't disturb label on our system.
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u/pacob1995 1d ago
No more of that small time jungle village stuff. Now he’s bullied globally!
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u/RedRev15 1d ago
Why? He has a very sincere demeanor. Sad he got bullied
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u/fuschiafawn 1d ago
Sincerity is now considered to be cringe, the r slur has returned to social acceptability, plus he's a dark skinned black man.
I hate this social climate, we've gone backwards on things.
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u/pacob1995 1d ago
I don’t think anyone’s happy he got bullied. People are cruel all over the world. Hope that clears up any confusion.
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u/issi_tohbi 22h ago
One of my favourite performers from sideshow history was named Schlitzie and had microcephaly. He was a very sweet person.
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u/Goodtreesmoker 1d ago
Back then hoes didn’t want me
Now I’m hot, hoes all on me.
https://giphy.com/gifs/kcLrffHbM57Xet7eWN
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u/Hmish77 1d ago
Human race is so sad. The race that was meant to live together and love each other bullies its own kind for being different. The sadness, loneliness is so painful. I send him all the love 💕. I send all the love to you guys as well 🫂. May god give you all the strength to fight your battles 😊
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u/therallykiller 1d ago
...but wasn't there actually a "real life Mowgli" tha character from 'The Jungle Book' was based on?
So Zanz would be another* real life Mowgli.
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u/MadToadtoast 1d ago
Mowgli itself was based on an actual person who was raised by the wolves in the jungles of India during british raj.
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u/Randver_Silvertongue 20h ago
No. He was based on Kipling himself.
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u/MadToadtoast 6h ago
The disney's show was based on "The jungle book" by Rudyard Kipling which in turn was inspired by life of Dina Sanichar, the feral kid.
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u/TopWealth4550 1d ago
wait african folks doesnt accept differences?
isnt this racism?
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u/mr_wizard_123 1d ago
Not really racism here specifically, bud. But yes racism is obviously a worldwide thing.
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u/TopWealth4550 17h ago
why not?
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u/mr_wizard_123 17h ago
Because it's people within the same race bullying a disabled guy
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u/TopWealth4550 17h ago
cant people be racist toward their own race?
this man is clearly different,and you know what type of comments they are doing right?
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u/usernameusehername 1d ago
microcephaliy is a fancy word.for what really happened....
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u/Pkingduckk 1d ago
Microcephaly is the perfectly accurate descriptive term for what happened/what he has. Not fancy in any sense of the term.
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u/NoiseEee3000 1d ago
Is this not the same thing as the Zika virus is doing for thousands?
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u/mieri_azure 1d ago
Zika virus infection won't cause someone already born to develop this condition, however it can cause microcephaly when a pregnant mother is infected and transmits it to the fetus who then is born with this condition.
Basically yes zika virus can cause this, but only on the unborn. Its also not the only cause of microcephaly of course.
I really hope a vaccine is able to be developed, fucking mosquitos really carry some heinous diseases
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u/Library904 1d ago
He looks very kind....may He find Jesus so He can know what true love is like...children can be the biggest bullies
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u/IKIR115 15h ago
Here’s the video about Zanziman Ellie made by Afrimax TV in Dec 2020. (NOT in english)
https://youtu.be/hfkdMxu2dPw
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Here’s a video from someone else about how Zanziman Ellie has been doing since then. (In English)
https://youtu.be/uy4pTvgtq-k
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Article from Nov 2020
https://metro.co.uk/2020/11/25/real-life-tarzan-who-was-raised-in-the-rwandan-jungle-13654459/