“When I walk through these neighbourhoods, I am thinking of my children and my community. Each time I knock on a door, I know I am bringing hope,” says Layla Omar Mohamed, a polio vaccinator in Mogadishu and mother of 4.

Across Somalia, mothers from all walks of life are helping to build a healthier future for their children by protecting them from polio.

Layla joined efforts to reach families in Mogadishu’s Hodan district with vaccines in July 2019. Armed with her vaccine carrier, a winning smile and strong sense of purpose, she is among the many Somali mothers who have become vaccinators and health educators in their communities.

“Seeing the effects of polio – especially seeing children paralyzed ­– keeps me going. When I knock on a door, I know I’m helping to give children a real chance at a healthy future,” says Layla.