Naushaba Roonjho became the first girl in her district to pass Pakistan’s secondary school exam, but instead of celebration, her father told her to stop studying and stay at home. Within weeks, at 17, she was married. Despite this, Roonjho continued her education independently, later training as a community health worker.
Her work, which involved going door to door for polio vaccinations and health hygiene initiatives, was considered shameful by her family. In 2019, they gave her an ultimatum: stop working or leave. With her husband’s full support, Roonjho left and built a single-room home. Her parents stopped speaking to her for two years.
Undeterred, Roonjho focused on improving health and education in her village. She convinced parents to send their daughters to school, resulting in seven girls enrolling, including her own children. Her husband, Muhammad Uris, faced daily taunts but stood by her. “Both of us are educated. Our thinking is different from the villagers,” he said.
Through the Sindh Rural Support Organisation, Roonjho became president of a local support organisation, working on family planning and vaccination. Zulfiqar Kalhoro, CEO of SRSO, praised her selflessness. “She never asked for anything for herself, she worked for other women. That’s real leadership,” he said.
Now, Roonjho is running for local political office, aiming to ensure no girl in her village hears the words she did: that she cannot study. Her resolve, hardened by separation from her family, drives her campaign.
