“My work is not over until every last child is vaccinated”
Kapisa, Afghanistan – “My work is not over until every last child is vaccinated.” Saddam repeats this phrase to himself with determination. For seven years now, he has worked as a volunteer in Kapisa’s Alasay district, helping protect children from the threat of polio.
A resident of Gusterkhel village, Sadam believes that polio is a dangerous and incurable disease that can only be prevented through vaccination.
Saddam, who has done post-secondary studies in nursing, joined the polio vaccination campaigns at a time when the threat of the disease was serious in the area. He says it was then that he decided to do his part to help protect the children of his community.
The early years of his work, he recalls, were filled with challenges: “When I first started, awareness about polio was low, and some families were reluctant to have their children vaccinated.”
He says those moments were the most difficult, because he knew that behind every closed door a child remained at risk of polio. Yet despite these challenges, he continued his work, striving to reach every family.
On campaign days, Saddam and his team gather early in the morning to divide the areas among themselves before setting out toward their assigned locations. Much of the day is spent moving from one neighborhood to another, immunizing children.
Saddam and his team vaccinate children during a polio campaign in a village in Alasay district to protect them from the threat of polio. © Polio Free Afghanistan / 2026
“When I go to an area with my colleagues,” he explains, “I first speak with family elders and explain the risks of polio and the importance of vaccination. When they agree to vaccinate their children, I feel that my efforts have made a difference.”
Over the years, people’s trust has grown steadily. Families who once refused vaccination now come forward on their own to have their children vaccinated.
Haji Wali, a community leader in Gusterkhel village, says: “Saddam is a devoted young man from our village. People trust him because he has always worked with honesty. Thanks to his efforts, our children are safe from polio.”
For Saddam, however, the most important achievements are not the numbers, but the stories that have stayed with him.
He recalls one incident: “A father refused to vaccinate his child. I explained the dangers of polio and the benefits of vaccination to him, and after a long conversation he finally said, ‘Son, I do not know much, but if you are confident, then vaccinate my child.'”
Saddam says it was at that moment he realized that building trust matters more than anything else.
Saddam records children’s details during a polio campaign in a village in Alasay district, helping ensure that no child is left unvaccinated. © Polio Free Afghanistan / 2026
Saddam believes that the fight against polio is not just about administering vaccines, but also about raising awareness in the community. He works to ensure that no child is left unvaccinated due to lack of awareness, doubt, or neglect.
“When a child is vaccinated,” he says, “it is not just a victory for one family, but for the whole community.”
Although the world has come close to the final stages of polio eradication, the efforts of volunteers like Saddam remain vital in remote areas such as Alasay.
“I hope the day will come when even the name of polio no longer exists. Until then, I will continue working to reach every last child,” he says.
Saddam and volunteers like him may travel long distances each day, but their efforts are driven by the hope of a future in which children grow up healthy, play freely, and attend school.
For him, this is a deep commitment – a belief that no child should lose their future to diseases that can be prevented.
