From Misinformation to Polio Champion

Country
Pakistan
Rawalpindi: Young Areeba Sajid poses during a polio eradication awareness session among her peers. Photo by Shahzad Mahmood.

LAHORE – Young Areeba Sajid is already carrying Pakistan’s flag on a global platform as a representative of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS). Confident, articulate and deeply committed to community service, she embodies the true spirit of a Girl Guide. But her journey to becoming a polio advocate began with doubt, confusion—and a powerful change of heart.

Like many young people, Areeba spends time on social media. It was there that she first encountered a piece of fake news claiming that the polio vaccine was unsafe.