A young man's pledge for a safer future for his community's children

In Kapisa, a polio vaccination campaign coordinator draws on years of familiarity with his region's people and geography to make sure no child in the mountainous, remote villages misses the polio vaccine.

Kapisa, Afghanistan - Behind every polio vaccination campaign in Alasay district lie the joint efforts of dozens of people, but a key part of coordinating that work rests with Dr. Nobahar Faizan.

Before each campaign begins, he must plan the vaccination teams' activities, coordinate with field workers, and track their progress once the campaign is underway. If a problem arises in an area, or a child is missed, Faizan is expected to help find a solution.

In Alasay, where many families live in remote villages tucked between the mountains, this work is not easy.

But Faizan, a resident of Gulakhel village in the same district, is closely familiar with the area's geography and its people. This familiarity helps him take the area’s unique circumstances into account as vaccination teams carry out their work, understand the challenges families face in accessing services, and find appropriate ways to engage with them.

From volunteer to coordinator

Faizan began working as a volunteer in polio vaccination campaigns in Kabul while he was still a student. He went door to door with his team, vaccinating children and talking with families about polio eradication and the importance of the vaccine.

During this period, Faizan became familiar with the practical workings of the campaigns and gained hands-on experience working directly with families. This experience deepened his commitment to children's health, and he continued down this path even after finishing his studies.

About three years ago, Faizan was appointed as a coordinator in Kapisa. He now coordinates and monitors the work of vaccination teams, follows up on challenges that arise in the field, and works to identify children who may have been missed for various reasons.

 © Polio Free Afghanistan | 2026

Dr. Nobahar Faizan monitors the activities of a vaccination team in a village in Alasay district.

Delivering vaccines to children in mountainous areas

Reaching children with polio vaccines in Alasay comes with its own set of challenges. Many families in the district live in remote villages, and some areas can only be reached by traveling along narrow, mountainous roads. As a result, notifying families about vaccination campaigns in time and getting vaccines to children requires extra effort.

Under a new approach, vaccination teams now vaccinate children at mosques or designated sites rather than going house to house; families are asked to bring their children to the nearest mosque or site for vaccination.

But not all mosques in Alasay have loudspeakers for announcements, and some families live far from the mosques. As a result, teams have to contact families in advance and inform them about the vaccination process.

Faizan draws on his familiarity with the region's geography and people to adapt the vaccination teams' activities to local conditions. He works to ensure that even children who have difficulty reaching mosques or designated sites are not missed.

There are also still families who have questions and concerns about the polio vaccine. Faizan and his colleagues listen to their concerns and try to answer their questions with accurate information, so that families can vaccinate their children with confidence.

 © Polio Free Afghanistan | 2026

A member of a polio vaccination team delivers the vaccine to children in Alasay district, Kapisa.

Hope for a safer future

For Faizan, his greatest hope is to one day see the results of his efforts: the day Afghanistan is declared polio-free.

"My greatest hope is to see the results of my work in my own lifetime, and for Afghanistan to be declared polio-free," he says. "I want the children whose families we're informing about the vaccine today to grow up healthy and safe from polio tomorrow."

Until that day comes, Faizan will continue coordinating the work of vaccination teams in the mountainous areas of Alasay and striving to make sure no child is missed by the polio vaccine.