A Nigerian father of 21 children decided to give vaccines a shot. His whole community benefited
In Borno state, Nigeria, immunisation is usually left to mothers. Bala Sarki is setting out to change that, becoming a powerful advocate for vaccines.
- 15 September 2025
- 4 min read
- by Christian Health Association of Nigeria (CHAN)
Amid the many mothers bringing their children for vaccination in Basheti, Jere Local Government Area (LGA), Borno State, one man stands out. Bala Sarki, once a sceptic reluctant to trust vaccines, has become a powerful advocate and champion for child health in his Shuwa Arab community.
A father of 21 children, Bala is now is now inspiring other men to take an active role in protecting their families. This is a vital change in a region where male involvement in immunisation is rare.
A leap of faith, repaid
For years, Bala rejected vaccines, mistrusting what he did not understand. He was no stranger to illness and hardship, but watching his daughter suffer recurring bouts of diarrhoea and other vaccine-preventable diseases pushed him toward change.
When the Christian Health Association of Nigeria (CHAN) vaccination team arrived in his remote community, patiently offering health education, Bala took a cautious step. He agreed to vaccinate just one child, a test of trust that would soon reshape his entire family’s future. “Since I was not fully convinced of the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine, I started with one child,” Bala recalls.
Immunisation advocated for itself. For the first time in years, Bala’s daughter remained healthy, free from constant sickness and costly clinic visits. Bolstered by this success, Bala began bringing all his children for vaccination.
Today, he is a steadfast advocate, inspiring other men in Basheti to join the fight for their children’s health. His voice breaks the silence around male involvement in immunisation, proving that protecting children is a responsibility all parents share.
In a place where men rarely accompany women to vaccination sites, Bala often finds himself the only man among hundreds of women. He’s undeterred by stigma or cultural expectations. “I am not shy, I know the importance of vaccination. The women respect me, and many wish their husbands were like me,” he says.
Strengthening the shield
Since 2023, CHAN has administered over 55,000 doses of Penta 1, Penta 3, MCV1, and MCV2 vaccines to infants and children in Jere LGA. Through 2025, the CHAN vaccination team aims to reach about 11,000 children under five with these life-saving vaccines, further strengthening the community’s health.
Despite these successes, the team and community face ongoing challenges. Bala’s advocacy is especially vital in Basheti, where insecurity and destroyed health facilities make access to vaccines a constant struggle.
When CHAN’s vaccination outreach activities were obliged to pause for a period of six months, owing to a programmatic transition, Bala spent over 40,000 naira (US$ 25) monthly travelling long distances, sacrificing his time and risking his safety for his children’s protection.
When the CHAN team resumed vaccination visits in March 2025, they brought renewed hope to the Basheti community, Bala said.
For Bala and his neighbours, these health workers are not just caregivers; they are lifelines. Even amid danger, including the deadly roadside attack in April 2025 on the Damboa-Maiduguri highway, which killed eight and injured over a dozen, the CHAN vaccination teams press on, navigating security risks to deliver essential vaccines.
“They are our only hope,” Bala says of the vaccinators.
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A simple truth
Thanks to the efforts of champions like Bala and organisations like CHAN and the Reaching Every Child in Humanitarian Settings (REACH) project, who receive support from IRC and funding from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, health and hope are reaching even the most vulnerable corners of Dusuman ward in Jere LGA.
Bala’s message is clear: every parent, mother or father holds the key to safeguarding the next generation. “If you don’t want to spend money treating vaccine-preventable diseases, take your child for vaccination,” he says, simply.
How is Gavi supporting CHAN?
Gavi’s Humanitarian Partnerships Programme, also known as ZIP, funds partner organisations with specific expertise navigating humanitarian crisis. The aim? To deliver all scheduled vaccine doses to children from birth to age five in communities where conflict impedes the access of government-provided health services.
CHAN, operating in troubled parts of northern Nigeria, is one such specialist organisation, and is operating as part of the IRC-led, ZIP-funded REACH consortium.
As of early September 2025, ZIP has provided more than 1 million children growing up in crisis zones with their very first vaccine.
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