Afghan mixed martial arts fighter Hussain Bakhsh Safari wants to help the families of students killed in recent attacks. He plans to auction two of his medals to raise cash for for the families of students killed in attacks in Kabul and Logar Province.
“[The first] medal was Afghanistan’s first ever medal from the [2017] Asian Indoor and Matrial Arts Games in Asghabat, Turkemenistan. I won the second medal at the [2019] Asian Jujitsu Championships in Mongolia.”
Hussain Bakhsh Safari
On may 8, bombs exploded outside Sayed ul-Shuhada High School in Kabul leaving at least 100 people dead and more than 160 injured. Many of the victims were teenage girls leaving class.
On April 30, at least 26 people died in an attack on a guesthouse in the capital of Logar province, Pul-e-Alam. Some victims were high school students who had traveled to the city to sit university entrance exams.
“In the deadly attacks that took place in Sayed-ul-Shuhada High School and in Logar, all of the victims were those who strove for education and they lost their lives while seeking knowledge. I want to sell these [medals] and help my brothers, sisters, and their school.” he said in a video announcement.
Hussain Bakhsh Safari announced the auction after visiting survivors at a Kabul hospital. Safari has won a total of 27 medals and Afghans have celebrated his success in the ring. Some offered to make donations so Safari don’t have to auction his medals.
“Friends, elders and international businessmen contacted me. Some of them with tearful eyes told me: ‘Safari, we will never allow you to sell these valuable medals. We also have a stake in them. Those are not only your medals, they belong to all the people of Afghanistan.’”
Hussain Bakhsh Safari
No date has been set for the auction but it is expected to take place in Dubai this year.
