The ‘real-life Tarzan’ who was raised in a Rwandan jungle and shunned by his community has transformed his life after receiving support from around the world and now ‘suits up’ every day before going to a special needs school.

The story of Zanziman Ellie, who lived in the jungle with his mother in Rwanda, touched the hearts of citizens across the globe after a documentary about his life was aired on YouTube by Afrimax TV in February, last year (2020).

Ellie was born in 1999 and almost immediately shunned by the community and faced constant bullying from his peers because of his physical appearance.

He was also denied access to education on the basis that he did not have the mental capacity to concentrate in class, and for this reason he was destined to spend his life foraging in the jungle.

In the documentary, Ellie’s mother told reporters that due to his appearance, Ellie was the target of bullying in the village his entire life, with his peers often calling him ‘monkey’ and ‘ape’.

Following the documentary, Afrimax TV set up a GoFundMe page where donations flooded in from viewers around the world hoping to help Ellie and his mother build a better life.

Now the news site Atinkanews reports that the donations have been used to send Ellie to a school for children with special needs at the Ubumwe Community Center.

As seen in the images, he regularly wears a well-fitting suit as he heads to class where he is studying to become an asset to his community, reports Atinkanews.

Ellie’s mother said: “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.”

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

Ellie is now somewhat of a celebrity with people constantly stopping him on the street to take a picture with the young man whose life has changed drastically since the documentary was released.