Guided by lived experience, compassion, and professional expertise.

I was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, into a world that would soon be defined by conflict. My earliest memories are scarred by the presence of violence—not only the external chaos of a nation at war, but the pain of domestic violence encountered at school and in the community. When the Soviet Union invaded, the situation turned from difficult to desperate. I watched as the fabric of our society was torn apart, leaving families shattered and scattered.

The Strength to Refuse

For forty years, I lived through the struggle of the occupation and the civil unrest that followed. As the pressure of the war mounted, I reached a definitive crossroads. The authorities and the warring factions sought to force me to join the fight, to pick up a weapon and participate in the bloodshed.

I refused. I knew in my soul that I could not contribute to the cycle of destruction. Because I chose not to participate in the war, I was forced to leave my homeland. I left everything behind—not because I was a soldier, but because I refused to be one.

The Long Road to Healing

I sought refuge in Pakistan, where I spent six years living in the heavy grip of poverty and depression. It was a period of profound struggle, but it was also where my resolve was tested. Eventually, I was granted immigration to Canada, where I spent the next 17 years. I dedicated myself to education, attending school and college to build the life that violence had tried to steal from me.

Despite my new life in the West, a part of my heart never left Afghanistan. I watched as billions of dollars were poured into my home country, yet nothing changed. The violence remained because the wounds of the people had never been addressed.

The Seed of Kindness

In 2010, I moved to the United States. Now a citizen of both Canada and the U.S. living in Los Angeles, I have dedicated my life to a different kind of intervention. I founded a nonprofit organization called The Seed of Kindness.

My mission is born from a simple, powerful truth: You cannot cure violence with violence. You can only cure it with its opposite—loving-kindness. I believe that domestic violence is the root of societal violence; the trauma experienced within the home eventually spills out into the streets. To prevent war, we must first heal the home.

A Mission of Service

To ensure that every possible resource goes directly to the families and children who need it most, I have committed to serving as the President of The Seed of Kindness for a salary of just $1 per year. My reward is not in a paycheck, but in the healing of my community.

I am planting seeds of "Loving-Kindness" today, knowing they may take ten, twenty, or fifty years to fully grow. I am not looking for a quick fix, but a total transformation of society. My journey has taught me that while I could not stop the war I was born into, I can start the peace that will save the next generation.