This is not the first time Muzafar has taken a stance on education.
He setup a school within a prison in Afghanistan, saw them learn and even graduate High School while still in prison through the help of his human right activist colleagues.
He came to a full circle more than a decade later when he visited Afghanistan in 2024 where he witnessed young girls and women risking their lives to attend underground schools after Taliban banned high school and higher education for them.
The risky re-visitation that too with a smuggled camera, to tell the raw stories as a humans right activist and photographer was far greater than anything, including leaving his comfort, family behind in Australia and potentially his life.
“It was heartbreaking to see girls the same age as my daughter begging for support to continue their education.
“I promised them I would do whatever it takes. I’m alive for a purpose maybe”.
He visited several underground schools run by several Hazara women in Australia.
Through sharing their stories he wanted to debunk the rumours by social media influencers, YouTube travel bloggers and Western journalists who reported calm and peace on the streets under the Taliban rule.
“Lack of war doesn’t mean peace.
“The same terrorists who killed innocent people, killed women and babies in maternity wards, commit suicide attacks in bazaars, target schools-they cannot bring peace in Afghanistan.
“That perspective was very challenging and confronting for me.
“I went there to tell their story and this is what I’m doing in Australia through my bike ride.”
He says social media influencers and travellers are usually assigned to one soldier to guide their actions and visibility of the country often directing them to touristy locations such as Band-e-Amir.
