“Polio limited my body, but not my dreams”: The story of Mohammad Salim
Mohammad Salim was four years old when polio changed his life forever. Today, 36 years later, he is sharing his story in the hope that no child will have to suffer the same fate, and that every child will be protected from polio through immunization.
Kabul, Afghanistan – On a quiet street in Kabul, Mohammad Salim slowly wheels himself forward. After a few meters, he pauses briefly, catches his breath, and continues on. To most people, this short journey is unremarkable. But for 36-year-old Mohammad Salim, it is another day in a lifelong struggle of resilience, determination, and perseverance.
That struggle began three decades ago, when he was just four years old and polio changed his life forever.
Mohammad Salim is one of thousands whose lives have been altered by polio. He continues to live with the lasting effects of a disease that could have been prevented with just a few drops of vaccination.
Recalling what his family told him about that time, he says, “The disease affected both my arms and legs. Little by little, I lost my ability to move, and what was ordinary for other children became a major challenge for me.”
At the time, Kabul was enduring years of war and instability. Like countless other families, Mohammad Salim’s family had imagined a future full of hope for their son. But polio changed that future.
A childhood spent behind a window
Mohammad Salim’s deepest memories are rooted in his childhood.
He still remembers sitting by the window every afternoon, watching the children in the street. They would run, play, laugh, and savor the carefree moments of childhood.
But Mohammad Salim could only watch.
“When I saw other children running and playing, I wanted so badly to join them, but I couldn’t,” he says quietly. “It was a very painful experience, but I tried not to lose hope.”
He says the hardest part of living with polio was not just the physical limitations. It was wanting to live like other children while knowing his body would not let him.
Mohammad Salim, paralyzed by polio as a child, says a few drops of vaccine could spare other children from the fate he has faced.
© Polio Free Afghanistan | 2026
Polio limited his body, but not his determination
Despite his physical limitations, Mohammad Salim decided not to give up on his education.
He completed his schooling through twelfth grade and believes that while polio limited his ability to move, it never diminished his capacity to think, learn, and dream.
“Polio limited my body, but it never stood in the way of my education or my ability to think,” he says.
It was this belief that gave him the strength to face many of life’s challenges.
A daily struggle
Today, Mohammad Salim lives with his family. Since the passing of his parents, his brothers and sisters have been his greatest support. He relies on them for many of his daily tasks, but he hopes for the day when he can live independently, without depending on others.
“I want to work and take responsibility for my own life, rather than always having to rely on others,” he says.
He believes that disability does not define a person’s potential. “With the right opportunities, people with disabilities can become active members of society and contribute to their country’s progress.”
For this reason, he calls on relevant institutions and the wider community to recognize the abilities of people with disabilities and provide them with equal opportunities for education and employment.
Mohammad Salim’s greatest hope is that no child will ever have to endure the lifelong physical limitations he has faced because of polio.
© Polio Free Afghanistan | 2026
A preventable disease
Mohammad Salim’s life is a powerful reminder of the devastating impact of polio.
Polio is a highly infectious viral disease that attacks a child’s nervous system and can cause lifelong paralysis. There is no cure, but vaccination remains the safest and most effective way to protect children against the disease.
Afghanistan is one of the few countries where the poliovirus persists. Working with its national and international partners, the Afghanistan Polio Eradication Program strives to reach every child with the polio vaccine.
In cities, villages, and remote areas, thousands of health workers and volunteers work every day to ensure that no child falls victim to a disease that is entirely preventable.
No child should have to relive my experience
Mohammad Salim says he does not wish to turn back time; he knows that is impossible. Instead, he hopes his story will help change the future for other children.
He has a message for parents: “I don’t want another child to go through what I went through. I urge every family to vaccinate their children against polio, because these few drops can protect their future.”
Mohammad Salim cannot get his childhood back, but he hopes his story will remind other families that polio is preventable.
As he concludes, he says with quiet confidence, “Polio limited my body, but it never limited my mind, my determination, or my dreams.”
Mohammad Salim’s life is a reminder that a simple decision to vaccinate can save a child from a lifetime of paralysis and hardship, giving them the opportunity to grow up healthy and look forward to a brighter future.
