short biography malala yousafzai

Malala Yousafzai

At age eleven, Malala Yousafzai was already advocating for the rights of women and girls. As an outspoken proponent for girls’ right to education, Yousafzai was often in danger because of her beliefs. However, even after being shot by the Taliban, she continued her activism and founded the Malala Fund with her father. By age seventeen, Yousafzai became the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for her work.

Malala Yousafzai was born on July 12, 1997 in Mingora, Pakistan. Mingora is the largest city in the Swat Valley of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province in Pakistan. Yousafzai was the first of three children born to Ziauddin and Tor Pekai Yousafzai. Although it was not always easy to raise a girl child in Pakistan, Malala Yousafzai’s father insisted that she received all of the same opportunities afforded to boy children. Her father was a teacher and education advocate that ran a girls’ school in their village. Due to his influence, Yousafzai was passionate about knowledge from a very young age, and she would often waddle into her father’s classes before she could even talk. However, by the time she was ten years old, Taliban extremists began to take control of the Swat Valley and many of her favorite things were banned. Girls were no longer able to attend school, and owning a television, playing music and dancing were all prohibited. Girl’s education was specifically targeted by the Taliban and by the end of 2008 they had destroyed over 400 schools. At eleven years old, Yousafzai decided to stand up to the Taliban.

Yousafzai started by blogging anonymously for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in early 2009. She used the penname, “Gul Makai,” and spoke about her life under Taliban rule and how much she wanted to attend school. Her first BBC diary entry entitled, “I Am Afraid,” detailed her nightmares about a full-blown war in her hometown. Her nightmares started to become reality, as Yousafzai and her family were soon forced to leave their home due to rising tensions between Pakistan and the Taliban. This did not stop Yousafzai from advocating for her right to attend school. Over the next few years, she and her father began speaking out on behalf of girls’ education in the media. They campaigned for Pakistani girls’ access to a free quality education. By 2011, Yousafzai was nominated for the International Children’s Peace Prize. Although she did not win, that same year she earned Pakistan’s National Youth Peace Prize. Yousafzai was now a household name. However, this also made her a target.

On October 9, 2012, fifteen-year old Yousafzai was on the bus returning from school with her friends. Two members of the Taliban stopped the bus and asked, “Who is Malala?” When they identified Yousafzai, they shot her in the head. Fortunately, she was airlifted to a Pakistani military hospital and then taken to an intensive care unit in England. After ten days in a medically induced coma, Yousafzai woke up in a hospital in Birmingham, England. She had suffered no major brain damage, but the left side of her face was paralyzed, and she would require many reparative surgeries and rehabilitation. After months of medical treatment, Yousafzai was able to return to her family that now lived in England. In March 2013, Yousafzai began attending school in Birmingham. Although she was now able to attend school in England, she decided to keep fighting “until every girl could go to school.” [1] On her sixteenth birthday, Yousafzai spoke at the United Nations in New York. That same year she published her autobiography entitled, “I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban.” She was awarded the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought by the European Parliament for her activism.

In 2014, Yousafzai and her father established the Malala Fund to internationally support and advocate for women and girls. Through her charity, she met with Syrian refugees in Jordan, young women students in Kenya, and spoke out in Nigeria against the terrorist group Boko Haram that abducted young girls to stop them from going to school. In December of 2014, Yousafzai was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her work. At age seventeen, she became the youngest person to be named a Nobel laureate. Since then, Yousafzai has continued to advocate for the rights of women and girls. The Malala Fund advocates for quality education for all girls by funding education projects internationally, partnering with global leaders and local advocates, and pioneering innovative strategies to empower young women. Yousafzai is currently studying Philosophy, Politics and Economics at the University of Oxford.

[1] Yousafzai , Malala. “Malala's Story: Malala Fund.” Malala Fund. Accessed March 14, 2020. https://malala.org/malalas-story.

• Brenner, Marie. “Malala Yousafzai: The 15-Year-Old Pakistani Girl Who Wanted More from Her Country.” Vanity Fair. Vanity Fair, January 29, 2015. https://www.vanityfair.com/news/politics/2013/04/malala-yousafzai-pakistan-profile.
• The Nobel Foundation. “Malala Yousafzai: Biographical.” NobelPrize.org. Accessed March 14, 2020. https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/2014/yousafzai/biographical/
• Yousafzai, Malala, and Christina Lamb.  I Am Malala: the Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban . London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2013.
• Yousafzai , Malala. “Malala's Story: Malala Fund.” Malala Fund. Accessed March 14, 2020. https://malala.org/malalas-story.

Photo: Public domain.

MLA – Alexander, Kerri Lee. “Malala Yousafzai.” National Women’s History Museum, 2020. Date accessed.

Chicago – Alexander, Kerri Lee. “Malala Yousafzai.” National Women’s History Museum. 2020. www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/malala-yousafzai.

• BBC News. “Profile: Malala Yousafzai.” BBC, August 17, 2017. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-23241937.
• Time Magazine. “Malala Yousafzai: 100 Women of the Year.” Time, March 5, 2020. https://time.com/5793780/malala-yousafzai-100-women-of-the-year/.

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Malala Yousafzai

Introduction.

Yousafzai was born on July 12, 1997, in Mingora, in the Swat Valley of Pakistan . Her father was an outspoken social activist and educator. He ran the Khushal Girls High School and College. Yousafzai was one of the top students at the school.

Life Under the Taliban

In 2007 the Taliban invaded the Swat Valley. The Taliban is a group that believes in strict Islamic law. When they took over the Swat Valley, they began closing schools for girls. They did not allow women to participate in society in general. The Taliban invasion brought much violence to the region, so Yousafzai and her family fled. However, they returned when the violence eased.

In 2008 Yousafzai gave her first speech. It was called “How Dare the Taliban Take Away My Basic Right to Education?” It was publicized all over Pakistan. Then, using a pen name, Yousafzai began writing about her daily life living under the Taliban. The articles were published on a blog for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The BBC blog was read by many people.

In 2009 Yousafzai was featured in two documentaries about the school shutdown and her experiences. The short films were posted on The New York Times ’s website. That same year the Taliban changed its rules and allowed girls to return to school.

In 2011 Yousafzai began to receive awards for her work. She was nominated in October 2011 for the International Children’s Peace Prize by human rights leader Desmond Tutu . In December she was awarded Pakistan’s first National Youth Peace Prize. The prize was later renamed the National Malala Peace Prize.

Assassination Attempt

On October 9, 2012, while on her way home from school, Yousafzai was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman. She survived the attack and was flown from Pakistan to Birmingham , England , where she fully recovered.

After the assassination attempt, her cause was taken up by many powerful people. It resulted in Pakistan’s first Right to Education bill and a $10 million education fund in Yousafzai’s honor.

Continuing Activism

In 2013 Yousafzai won the United Nations Human Rights Prize, which is given out every five years. She was also named one of Time magazine’s most-influential people that year. Yousafzai wrote a memoir with the help of another writer. The book, I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban , was published in 2013.

Yousafzai was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014. She was the youngest person to ever receive the Nobel Peace Prize. She shared the award with another children’s rights activist.

In July 2015 she and others opened a girls’ school in Lebanon. The school served refugees from a civil war that was taking place in the neighboring country of Syria . 

In 2017 Yousafzai released a picture book called Malala’s Magic Pencil . The book is an autobiography directed toward young readers. That same year she started studying at the University of Oxford in England. She graduated from Oxford in 2020.

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Biography Online

Malala Yousafzai Biography

Early Life Malala

Malala was born (12 July 1997) in Mingora, the Swat District of north-west Pakistan to a Sunni Muslim family. She was named Malala, which means ‘grief-stricken’ after a famous female Pashtun poet and warrior from Afghanistan.

Her father, Ziauddin Yousafzai is a poet and runs a chain of public schools. He is a leading educational advocate himself. In 2009, Malala began writing an anonymous blog for the BBC expressing her views on education and life under the threat of the Taliban taking over her valley. It was her father who suggested his own daughter to the BBC. She wrote under the byline “Gul Makai.”

During this period, the Taliban’s military hold on the area intensified. At times, Malala reported hearing artillery from the advancing Taliban forces. As the Taliban took control of the area, they issued edicts banning television, banning music, and banning women from going shopping and limiting women’s education. Many girls schools were blown up and as a consequence pupils stayed at home, scared of possible reprisals from the Taliban. However, for a time, there was a brief respite when the Taliban stated girls could receive primary education if they wore Burkhas. But, a climate of fear prevailed, and Malala and her father began to receive death threats for their outspoken views. As a consequence, Malala and her father began to fear for their safety. Her father once considered moving Malala outside of Swat to a boarding school, but Malala didn’t want to leave.

” I don’t know why, but hearing I was being targeted did not worry me. It seemed to me that everybody knows they will die one day.” I am Malala p.188

When her father suggested they stop their campaigns for human rights, Malala replied

“How can we do that? You were the one who said that if we believe in something greater than our lives, then our voices will only multiply ever if we are dead. We can’t disown our campaign!’ I am Malala p.188 People were asking me to speak at events. How could I refuse saying there was a security problem? We couldn’t do that, especially not as proud Pashtuns. My father always said that heroism is in the Pastun DNA. I am Malala p.180

After the BBC blog had ended, Malala featured in a documentary made by New York Times reporter Adam B.Ellick. She also received greater international coverage, and her identity about writing the BBC blog was revealed. In 2011, she received Pakistan’s first National Youth Peace Prize, and she was nominated by Archbishop Desmond Tutu for the International Children’s Peace Prize. Her increased profile and strident criticism of the Taliban caused Taliban leaders to meet, and in 2012, they voted to kill her.

On 9 October 2012, a masked gunman entered her school bus and asked “Which one of you is Malala? Speak up. Otherwise, I will shoot at you all.”

Malala was identified and she was shot with a single bullet which went through her head, neck and shoulder. Two other girls were also injured, though not as badly as Malala.

Malala survived the initial shooting but was in a critical condition. Her father was convinced she would die and told the village to prepare for her funeral. Her critical organs were failing, and she developed an infection. In a coma, she was moved to a hospital in Rawalpindi. Later on the 15 October, she was transferred to Birmingham in the United Kingdom for further treatment at a specialist hospital for treating military injuries. A couple of days later, she came out of a coma and responded well to treatment. She was discharged on January 3, 2013, and moved with her family to a temporary home in the West Midlands. Writing in her book “I am Malala” she writes.

“It was a miracle I was alive” (p.237)

She also writes about her lack of bitterness or desire for revenge.

“My only regret was that I hadn’t had a chance to speak to them before they shot me. Now they’d never hear what I had to say. I didn’t even think a single bad thought about the man who shot me – I had no thoughts of revenge – I just wanted to go back to Swat. I wanted to go home” I am Malala p.237

Response to Assassination attempt

Her assassination received worldwide condemnation and protests across Pakistan. Over two million people signed the Right to Education campaign. The petition helped the ratification of Pakistan’s first right to education bill in Pakistan.

Ehsanullah Ehsan, chief spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack, saying that Yousafzai was a symbol of the infidels and obscenity. However, other Islamic clerics in Pakistan issued a fatwa against the Taliban leaders and said there was no religious justification for shooting a schoolgirl.

United Nations petition

On 15 October, UN Special Envoy for global education, Gordon Brown , visited Malala whilst she was in hospital and launched a petition in her name – ‘In support for what Malala fought for.’

Using the slogan “I am Malala” the petition contains three demands

• We call on Pakistan to agree to a plan to deliver education for every child.
• We call on all countries to outlaw discrimination against girls.
• We call on international organisations to ensure the world’s 61 million out-of-school children are in education by the end of 2015.

I am Malala – petition

On 12 July 2013, she spoke at the United Nations to a group of 500 youths calling for worldwide access to education.

“I am not against anyone, neither am I here to speak in terms of personal revenge against the Taliban or any other terrorist group. I’m here to speak up for the right of education for every child. I want education for the sons and daughters of the Taliban and all terrorists and extremists.” ( BBC Link of speech )

…I immediately saw images of Pakistanis fill my screen. Not the usual rock hurling Pakistanis, irrationally shouting amidst flaming tyres, but gentle candle-lighting, beautiful Pakistanis with words of love and peace on their lips. It was UN International day of the Girl Child and the BBC chose to illustrate this with a story of what they termed a National Awakening in Pakistan, following the shooting of 14-year-old school girl, Malala Yousafzai. I was delighted at the apparent 24 hour flip from a narrative of “those Pakistanis are so barbaric they shoot their own school girls” to one of hope, resilience, and a more accurate reflection of the millions who reject such an act. ( 5 February, 2013 )

Since 2013, she has studied at Edgbaston High School in Birmingham. She has continued to be a prominent activist based with her family living in Birmingham. In 2015, a documentary about Yousafzai was shortlisted for the Oscars ‘He Named Me Malala .’ In 2017, she began studying PPE at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University.

Further Quotes by Malala

“Today we all know education is our basic right. Not just in the West; Islam too has given us this right. Islam says every girl and everybody should go to school. In the Quran it is written, God wants us to have knowledge.” I am Malala p.263

“One child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world. Education is the only solution. Education first.”

– UN Speech, July 12, 2013

“I love my God. I thank my Allah. I talk to him all day. He is the greatest. By giving me this height to reach people, he has also given me great responsibilities. Peace in every home, every street, every village, every country – this is my dream. Education for every boy and every girl in the world. To sit down on a chair and read my books with all my friends at school is my right. To see each and every human being with a smile of happiness is my wish. I am Malala p 265 “I am Malala, My world has changed by I have not.” p.265

In October 2014, the Nobel committee awarded Malala the Nobel Peace Prize, they said:

“Despite her youth, Malala Yousafzai has already fought for several years for the right of girls to education and has shown by example that children and young people, too, can contribute to improving their own situations. “This she has done under the most dangerous circumstances. Through her heroic struggle she has become a leading spokesperson for girls’ rights to education.”

In 2020, Malala met environmental activist Greta Thunberg at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford saying of Thunberg “The only friend I would miss school for.” Thunberg said of Malala “So… today I met my role model. What else can I say?”

Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan . “Biography of Malala”, Oxford, UK.  www.biographyonline.net.  Last updated 5 March 2020. Originally published 18/10/2013.

I Am Malala

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Photo Credits

• photo top: United Nations information
• photo middle: Malala at the Oval Office, with President Obama
• Photo bottom: Global partnership for education

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Profile: Malala Yousafzai

Malala Yousafzai was born on July 12, 1997, in Mingora, the largest city in the Swat Valley in what is now the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan. The Taliban began to control the Swat Valley and quickly became the dominant socio-political force throughout much of northwestern Pakistan. Girls were banned from attending school, and cultural activities. 

Determined to go to school and with a firm belief in her right to an education, Malala stood up to the Taliban. Her activism resulted in a nomination for the International Children’s Peace Prize in 2011. That same year, she was awarded Pakistan’s National Youth Peace Prize. For her activism, on the morning of October 9, 2012, 15-year-old Malala Yousafzai was shot by the Taliban and was seriously wounded

On October 10, 2013, in acknowledgement of her work, the European Parliament awarded Malala the prestigious Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. In October 2014, Malala, along with Indian children’s rights activist Kailash Satyarthi, was named a Nobel Peace Prize winner. At age 17, she became the youngest person to receive this prize. 

Today, through the Malala Fund and with her own voice, Malala Yousafzai remains a staunch advocate for the power of education and for girls to become agents of change in their communities.

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Malala Yousafzai: A 'Normal,' Yet Powerful Girl

Malala Yousafzai speaks to NPR's Michel Martin while on tour for her new book, I Am Malala. Abbey Oldham/NPR hide caption

Malala Yousafzai speaks to NPR's Michel Martin while on tour for her new book, I Am Malala.

"I think Malala is an average girl," Ziauddin Yousafzai says about the 16-year-old Pakistani girl who captured the world's attention after being shot by the Taliban, "but there's something extraordinary about her."

A teacher himself, Yousafzai inspired his daughter's fight to be educated. At a special event with Malala in Washington, D.C., he tells NPR's Michel Martin that he is often asked what training he gave to his daughter. "I usually tell people, 'You should not ask me what I have done. Rather you ask me, what I did not do,' " he says. "I did not clip her wings to fly. I did not stop her from flying."

Yousafzai has this advice for parents of girls around the world: "Trust your daughters, they are faithful. Honor your daughters, they are honorable. And educate your daughters, they are amazing."

I Am Malala

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A year after being shot, Malala is clear about her goal. "I speak for education of every child, in every corner of the world," Malala says. "There has been a discrimination in our society," which she believes must be defeated. "We women are going to bring change. We are speaking up for girls' rights, but we must not behave like men, like they have done in the past."

Perhaps she has learned from her father's experience. When asked what gave him a passion for girls' education, Yousafzai points out that he was "born in a society where girls are ignored." Living with five sisters, he was sensitive to discrimination from an early age. "In the morning, I was used to milk and cream, and my sisters were given only tea," he says.

Yousafzai felt the injustice even more when Malala was born. He later opened a school that Malala attended in the Swat Valley. At the time, the Taliban's influence was gaining power and both Yousafzais were firmly on their radar. "But we thought that even terrorists might have some ethics," Yousafzai says. "Because they destroyed some 1,500 schools but they never injured a child. And she was a child."

Malala says that the shooting has taken away her fear. "I have already seen death and I know that death is supporting me in my cause of education. Death does not want to kill me," she says. "Before this attack, I might have been a little bit afraid how death would be. Now I'm not, because I have experienced it."

When asked if she is having any fun now with all her campaigning, Malala laughs, "It's a very nice question. I miss those days." But she also says that there is another side to her than what is shown in the media. "Outside of my home, I look like a very obedient, very serious, very good kind of girl, but nobody knows what happens inside the house." There, she says, she's not naughty, but she has to stand up to her brothers. "It's good to fight with your brothers and it's good to tease them to give them advice."

She says her little brother doesn't really understand why his sister has so much attention. "He said, 'Malala ... I can't understand why people are giving you prizes, and everywhere you go people say, 'This is Malala' and they give you awards, what have you done?' " she says.

Malala knows the Taliban would still like to kill her, but she says she hopes to return to Pakistan one day. "First, I need to empower myself with knowledge, with education. I need to work hard," she says. "And when I [am] powerful, then I will go back to Pakistan, inshallah [God willing]."

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Malala Yousafzai's Life Story: The Fearless Activist Who Challenged Terrorism With Education

As a girl born and raised in a country where only boys were allowed an education and the Taliban dominated the law, Malala had very few people on her side as she raised her voice in protest against the extremist force oppressing her people.

After the Taliban attempted to silence her with violence, Malala rose up and chose to fight back with words. This is the awe-inspiring story of a school pupil with a relentless belief in her power to change the world.

Posted by Goalcast

Growing up with a love of words

On July 12, 1997, Malala Yousafzai was born in Mingora, a city in the Swat District of Pakistan. Her first breath was drawn at home, since her family couldn't afford a hospital birth. She was named "Malala" after Malala of Maiwand, a national folk hero who led local fighters to victory in Afghanistan. Little did her parents know that their daughter would also become a hero for her people in the years to come.

Malala grew up in awe of her father, an activist who believed the lack of education was the root of all of Pakistan's problems. She attended a public school founded by her father and developed a thirst for knowledge from an early age. She adored books and decided she wanted to become a doctor.

But her father sensed early on that his daughter had a gift for something beyond medicine. He encouraged her to think openly and express her political opinions freely. After he had sent her two younger brothers to bed, he and Malala would stay up discussing politics late into the night.

Defying the Taliban as a child

In 2007, when Malala was only ten years old, her beloved hometown began to change as Taliban militants inched closer. Violence soon spread across the Swat Valley and threats rained down on girl-only schools.

As class attendance dwindled for fear of retribution, Malala refused to renounce her right to an education. Her father noticed her passion for standing up against the Taliban's oppressive campaign and took Malala to Peshawar to speak at the local press club. There, she gave an impassioned speech to an audience of newspapers and TV channels. She asked them, "How dare the Taliban take away my basic right to education?"

Despite her young age, Malala knew that if she joined everyone else in fearful silence, nothing would change. She didn't need to grow up to do it, she could demand change now. So Malala went out and sought bigger platforms where her voice could promote education for girls.

In late 2008, her father received a petition from BBC Urdu for a student to blog about their life under the Taliban. No one was willing to take the risk, but he knew his daughter would. So, in 2009, at just 11 years old, Malala began to anonymously document the reign of terror that had befallen her hometown. Every week, she passed her handwritten notes on to a reporter, describing everything from her views on education to the horrors brought on by the Taliban military.

Raising her voice above the death threats

During her months of blogging, the Taliban's extremist hold intensified. In her notes, Malala described the sounds of gunshots and mortars at night, the destruction of almost 400 girls' schools, the bodies of beheaded policemen in town, and the widespread bans on television, music, and women's education.

Eventually, the Taliban allowed girls to receive a primary education -- but only if they wore burkas. Malala's writing became hopeful, as girls began to trickle back to school. Her blog ended in March 2009. By that time, her experiences had received global attention and she was approached by New York Times reporter  Adam B. Ellick  to be featured in a documentary.

Cameras followed Malala Yousafzai as she and her family were displaced from their hometown while the Pakistani army moved to regain control of their region. She stayed in the countryside, bored without her books, while her father continued protesting and lobbying for support in Peshawar. It was then that Malala decided she would follow her father into political activism instead of becoming a doctor.

That same year, the documentary was released and gained international coverage. It was revealed that Malala was the student behind the BBC blog and her profile in Pakistan grew. Over the next three years, she and her father became known throughout the country for their fervent campaigning for change. Malala Yousafzai's voice grew louder and, in 2011, she was awarded Pakistan's National Youth Peace Prize .

A violent attempt to silence her

The Taliban were not deaf to Malala's brazen criticism of them, and began to send death threats. They published warnings in the newspaper and slipped menacing notes under the door of her home.

Her father panicked and asked Malala to back down to avoid retaliation, but she refused. Her fear of the Taliban wasn't as strong as her courage. In spite of the looming threat, Malala continued to speak out in support of every girls' right to education and call for change in Swat.

On October 9, 2012, Malala was riding home from school on a bus with her friends when a masked gunman jumped aboard. He brandished a gun at the children and demanded to know which girl was Malala. As her friends turned to look at her, he fired three shots. One bullet hit Malala on the left side of her head, traveling down her neck and embedding itself in her shoulder. Panic ensued as she collapsed and the gunman made his escape.

An ambulance was called and 15-year-old Malala was airlifted to a military hospital in critical condition. After a five-hour operation, the bullet was removed, but she was far from stable. Her organs were failing, an infection had developed, and she was in an induced coma. Offers to treat Malala poured in from around the world, and she was transferred to Germany and then the United Kingdom for treatment.

In January 2013, Malala Yousafzai was finally released from the hospital after having her skull reconstructed and receiving a cochlear implant to restore her hearing. Her life after the shooting was very different. Malala saw herself faced with a choice: retreat to safety, or continue her fight for human rights. She told herself,  "Malala, you have already faced death. This is your second life. Don't be afraid — if you are afraid, you can't move forward." 

Recovery and renewed activism

The murder attempt spurred worldwide outrage and protests across Pakistan. A right-to-education bill was passed in her country for the first time, and she now receives global support when promoting her cause.

On July 12, 2013, her 16th birthday, Malala was flown to New York to give a passionate speech at the United Nations, where she urged the world to challenge extremism with education. Later that year, she published her first book, I Am Malala: The  Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban .

Since then, Malala has continued her activism with renewed courage. She has spoken at Harvard University and met with world leaders, including Queen Elizabeth and Barack Obama. In October 2014, at age 17, Malala became the youngest person and only Pakistani to receive a Nobel Peace Prize. In her speech, she dedicated the award to "all the voiceless children who want change." The following year, on her 18th birthday, she opened a school for Syrian refugee girls in Lebanon. At the opening, her first words as an adult were a call-to-action for world leaders to invest in "books, not bullets."

With over 40 honorary awards to her name, Malala Yousafzai has become a messenger of peace and a leading spokesperson for girls' right to education . Through her own non-profit Malala Fund , the devoted activist has funded education projects in six countries and keeps raising her voice to empower girls to become agents of change in their communities.

Today, Malala resides in Birmingham, UK, where she has been proudly accepted to Oxford University. There she will study Philosophy, Politics, and Economics to strengthen her influence and further her advocacy for education.

Throughout her youth, Malala has shown exceptional strength and courage in the face of terrorism. The attempt on her life only served to embolden her belief in a better, more equal world. Her voice has brought education to thousands of children and has inspired millions more. Malala Yousafzai is proof that age has no bearing in the fight for what is right, that anyone can and should raise their voice to improve the world around them.

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Pamela Anderson has it all: beauty, fame and success. So why can’t the most famous blonde find her fairytale ending? Why is Pamela so unlucky in love and what dark secrets lie behind her seemingly glamorous life?

The Many Marriages of Pamela Anderson

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Pamela Anderson had a fairytale look at weddings from a young age. "I'd meet somebody, fall in love, and it would just be very romantic and it would be love at first sight."

But sadly, none of her nine weddings led to that dream relationship for the 56 year old actress.

While she looks to have found peace and calm in her later years, Anderson's previous relationships were fraught with abuse, drugs, and fear.

How many husbands did Pamela have over the years?

Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee (1995-1998, 2008-2010)

The bad-boy of rock, Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee, was the first man to sweep Anderson off her feet. The two stars had a whirlwind relationship that resulted in sons Brandon and Dylan. But what was once a fairytale marriage was also incredibly 'tragic,' ending in Tommy Lee being charged with spousal and child abuse.

While the Baywatch babe refers to Tommy Leed as "the only man I ever really loved was Tommy Lee," the two were not able to make it work.

Anderson and Kid Rock (2001-2003, 2006)

Anderson married the controversial rapper and musician a total of four times, though she knew it was a mistake, "right when I got married."

It looks like there was no love lost, as both have confirmed they never spoke again after the split.

Pamela Anderson and Rick Salomon (2007, 2013-2015)

Rick Salomon made a name for himself as a sometimes actor and poker player. Salomon turned out to have a serious drug addiction which Anderson only discovered when she found his crack pipe in the Christmas tree. Their marraige was annulled but they reconciled in 2013, thought the second marriage was short-lived.

Pamela Anderson and Jon Peters (2020) Kind of...

While it turned out the two never had an official marriage certificate, Anderson did announce her marraige to movie producer Jon Peters. Husband number five didn't last long, just a mere 12 days before the two split.

Pamela Anderson and Dan Hayhurst (2020-2022)

Anderson met her last husband, Dan Hayhurst, when he was the contractor for her house. The marriage survived two years before they went their separate ways.

"You know, it was more like trying to put a family unit back together. But I wasn't really in love. I just was going through the motions and then realizing, I have nothing in common with this person. Like I was putting people in my life to kind of numb some of the pain or be with someone, companionship, but nothing nothing healthy."

Poor Boy Couldn’t Afford to Bury His Mom - So He Takes Matters Into His Own Hands

Poor Boy Begs For Money to "Bury My Mama" With Heartbreaking Sign

A week ago, 11-year-old Kayden Ely experienced the devastating loss of his mother, Shannon Mount. Her unexpected passing didn't just leave Kayden and his four siblings without their mom, it also left the family in dire financial straits.

Desperate to raise funds for his mom's funeral, Kayden took to the streets of his small town in Georgia begging for help. For two days the heartbroken little boy stood next to the railroad tracks, holding a sign that read, "Please help me bury my mama!"

Grieving Boy's Desperate Plea for Help

Kayden Ely says goodbye to his mom, Shannon Mount; Kayden Ely and his older brother raise funds for their mom's funeral.

Facebook.com/Jennifer Fife

Shannon Mount, 45, went into cardiac arrest on July 8. Her boyfriend, Billy Upton, tried to save her, performing CPR on her until paramedics arrived and were able to revive her. After spending several days on life support, she passed away.

Without life insurance and unable to afford the astronomical bill of her 8 days in emergency care (never mind burial expenses) Kayden didn't have the luxury of taking time to grieve his mom.

Instead, he made it his mission to give her a proper goodbye.

Armed with his homemade sign, Kayden spent hours standing on the side of the road, praying passing motorists would notice and want to help.

Not only did community members step up and come to his aid with donations, hugs, and prayers, but they also shared the young boy's plight on social media and contacted local news stations to spread the word. They even joined him on the ground, helping him set up a hotdog stand to make more money.

But the small town giving didn't stop there. An anonymous donor contacted the family, offering to pay for the cost of a burial plot, and several local businesses put out jars to collect spare change. The funeral home, Good Shepherd, also gave the family a significant discount.

GoFundMe Campaign Raises More Than 10x the Original Goal

www.gofundme.com

Inspired by Kayden's strength and determination to provide a resting place for his mom, Jennifer Grissom, his cousin and guardian, also launched a GoFundMe .

"Shannon did not have life insurance, she has an 11-year-old that is left without the only thing he ever knew," Jennifer wrote on the page.

"He has been standing on [the] side of the road for 2 days with a sign to help bury his mama."

She initially set a goal of $7,100, just enough to cover the costs of the funeral which can run upwards of $12,000 in some states.

But then the donations started pouring in. And that $7,100 quickly became $70,000. More than 1700 people have come forward to donate, all of them motivated by one singular thought: "No child should ever have to worry about paying for a funeral."

Jennifer says she plans on using the extra funds to "make sure Kayden gets to do things children his age get to do; sports, camps, etc." She's also using it to buy him clothes, school supplies, and necessities, and start a college fund.

In an update on the page, she wrote, "Today we took him to Walmart so he could get a bed set and he got a few things he needed."

Adding, "When we were leaving his aunt asked him, 'Why are you so happy' and he replied...'Me and mama didn’t have much money we were poor, and I didn’t get to go buy stuff like this' and all this baby got was a bed set, toothbrush, pillows and pillow cases. He is so thankful. Thank y'all for making him smile."

But most importantly, a grieving little boy is getting his wish. Shannon, who is described as a "straight shooter...who loved her kids fiercely" in her obituary, will be properly laid to rest at the end of the month.

Paying it Forward

Kayden Ely gives away free hot dogs and drinks.

To thank his community for their incredible support, Kayden decided to pay it forward.

He set up another hotdog stand, only this time instead of charging for the dogs and drinks, he gave them away for free; a fitting gesture of gratitude for an 11-year-old boy.

He also appeared in a brief Facebook video with Jennifer, thanking everyone for their donations and helping to get the word out to the community. But even more meaningful than the monetary support was the outpouring of emotional support.

"We want to thank everybody that stopped," Jennifer said. "You know, there were some people who just wanted to give him a hug or some people that wanted to pray with him and tell him they're sorry for his loss."

"Some people stopped and just wanted to help us cook hot dogs. A man stopped and he helped us hold a sign. That means so much to us, it really does."

Grief can be incredibly isolating and when you lose the most important person in your life, it's even more so.

Kayden is only 11 years old, he shouldn't have to know the devastating pain of loss. But having a supportive community will go a long way in making him feel a little less alone.

Woman “Accidentally” Forgets to End Call Before Speaking About Daughter-In-Law

Mom asks woman to give up her first-class seat for her child - people are applauding her response, desperate man needs to pay rent - decides to give his money to a stranger instead, grandma forced to sell homemade goods to get by - then, a stranger walks up to her, why paul walker left his only daughter with vin diesel, matthew mcconaughey’s life-changing lesson for kate hudson (video), snoop dogg confronts the man that got tupac killed (video), jennifer hudson's horrific family tragedy-how the singer forgave and healed, subscribe to our newsletter, nicola coughlan has brilliant response to fan calling her bridgerton scenes "very brave", the untold story of michael and janet jackson's complex relationship, the disturbing and beautiful story behind danny trejo's salma hayek tattoo, the 11 best bridgerton quotes to make you feel powerful, romantic and wise, grieving daughter goes thrift store shopping - finds an unexpected note in a purse.

Grieving Daughter Finds Note In Fossil Purse While Thrifting

Thrifting can net all sorts of treasures. Shoppers can snatch up everything from vintage clothes to mid-century modern furniture to kitschy knick-knacks, all without breaking the bank.

But for one grieving woman, she found a hidden gem that was truly priceless.

Unexpected Thrift Store Find

Photo of a little girl with her father and a black purse.

TikTok/Abrielle Clausing

On January 13, 2021, Abrielle Clausing's world fell apart. Her father unexpectedly passed away from Covid-19. As anyone who has experienced grief knows, the journey isn't a straight one. It ebbs and flows with some days being significantly harder than others.

It was during a "particularly hard grief week" when Abrielle, 24, decided to embark on some retail therapy. She used to love thrifting with her dad, and no one loved a good deal more than he did.

However, she didn't just want to shop for the sake of shopping, she had a very specific item she wanted in mind.

"My sister and I decided to go thrifting and I told her I wanted to find a vintage Fossil brand purse," she explains in a now-viral TikTok video .

And wouldn't you know, Abrielle did indeed end up finding "the cutest vintage Fossil brand purse" - seriously what are the chances?

And as if that wasn't serendipitous enough, it was about to get a whole lot more remarkable.

Inside the purse was a handwritten note:

"When you read this you will be far from me in miles but not in my heart. I'm here. I love you."

She immediately took it as a sign from her beloved dad.

" I knew it was from him," she told People . "I always check the inside of the bag before I buy it to make sure it’s in good condition. When I stuck my hand in it, I felt the piece of paper and when I took it out and found the note, I read it out loud to my sister."

"When I saw the note, it just confirmed that he was with us," she added. "He’s always with us."

Response To The Viral TikTok

www.tiktok.com

Abrielle's heartwarming video has garnered nearly one million views and over 1,000 comments and it's making believers out of every single one of us.

"I'm so afraid that death is final and we just stop existing. But some things can't be explained. There has to be more out there!!"

"This was def him 🥹💙"

"I’m literally crying so hard. Someone would have had to carry me out of the thrift 😭"

"I'm honestly at a loss for words. Wow. Just wow."

Even Fossil weighed in, writing, "What a beautiful note to find. Your dad's love will always be with you. Sending you and your family a big, warm hug."

Her TikTok also opened the floodgates for others to share the signs they've received from lost loved ones.

"My brother passed away & years later I was at a checkout line in the store & at the cash register was a young school photo of him that someone left.... never made sense but I'll never forget it."

"About 30 seconds after bursting in tears thinking about my grandpa a car merged in front of me and the license plate was his name and his age when he died 😭😭"

"When my mom passed, days after I found an email that not me nor my sister had opened or read before. It was an email my mom sent us 4 years before with the message “open it when I’m gone, love, mom”. It had a beautiful letter as an attachment."

Love Lives On

The note Abrielle Clausing found in a Fossil bag while thrifting is now part of a cherished collage.

People.com/Abrielle Clausing

Abrielle has given the note a place of honor, right smack in the middle of a framed collage of her favorite sayings and things.

It's a beautiful reminder that the love she shared with her dad lives on, even though he is gone.

And whether you believe in fate or not, you have to admit the universe had an uncanny way of showing up just when she needed it to.

After all, what are the odds that a stranger penned a note with the exact words she needed to hear, placed it in the exact bag she was looking for, AND that bag ended up in the exact thrift store she was shopping in? Pretty astronomical.

And yet, here we are.

Life is full of unexpected, magical moments that often happen when we least expect it. And sometimes those moments bring us the comfort and connection we need most, reminding us that love...is never truly lost.

Copyright © 2024 Goalcast

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September 5, 2024

Life Story of Famous People

Short Bio » Civil Rights Leader » Malala Yousafzai

Malala Yousafzai

Malala Yousafzai  is a Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate. On 10 October 2014, Yousafzai was announced as the co-recipient of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize for her struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to education. Having received the prize at the age of 17, Yousafzai is the youngest Nobel laureate. Yousafzai shared the prize with Kailash Satyarthi, a children’s rights activist from India.

In October 2011, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a South African activist, nominated Yousafzai for the International Children’s Peace Prize of the Dutch international children’s advocacy group KidsRights Foundation. She was the first Pakistani girl to be nominated for the award. Her public profile rose even further when she was awarded Pakistan’s first National Youth Peace Prize two months later in December.On 19 December 2011, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani awarded her the National Peace Award for Youth.

On 9 October 2012, a Taliban gunman shot Yousafzai as she rode home on a bus after taking an exam in Pakistan’s Swat Valley. The masked gunman shouted “Which one of you is Malala? Speak up, otherwise, I will shoot you all”, and, on her being identified, shot at her. She was hit with one bullet, which went through her head, neck, and ended on her shoulder. Two other girls were also wounded in the shooting: Kainat Riaz and Shazia Ramzan, both of whom were stable enough to speak to reporters and provide details of the attack.

On 12 July 2015, her 18th birthday, Yousafzai opened a school in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, near the Syrian border, for Syrian refugees. The school, funded by the not-for-profit Malala Fund, offers education and training to girls aged 14 to 18 years. Yousafzai called on world leaders to invest in “books, not bullets”.

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I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban

Learn about this topic in these articles:.

…Times ), Yousafzai coauthored a memoir, I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban (2013). She also wrote the picture book Malala’s Magic Pencil (2017), which was based on her childhood. In 2014 she became the youngest person to win the Liberty Medal,…

Malala Yousafzai

• Occupation: Human Rights Activist
• Born: July 12, 1997 in Mingora, Pakistan
• Best known for: Fighting for the rights of women to receive an education in Pakistan

• She was named after a famous Afghani poet and warrior named Malalai of Maiwand.
• Malala was the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. She was in chemistry class when she found out.
• Kailash Satyarthi shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Malala. He fought against child labor and slavery in India.
• The United Nations named July 12th as "World Malala Day."
• She once said "When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful."
• Listen to a recorded reading of this page:

9 Facts You May Not Know About Malala Yousafzai

2. On October 9, 2012, Malala boarded a bus to advocate for Pakistani girls' education when the Taliban shot her in the head and neck. She was 15. She was not expected to survive her injuries.

3. It was almost two years to the day when Malala was shot that she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. She was 17 and the youngest recipient to receive it. She shared the distinguished award with Kailash Satyarthi, another children's rights activist.

4. Malala had plans to be a doctor but has now taken an interest in politics.

5. Because of the violent assassination attempt on Malala, Pakistan announced the creation of the very first Right to Education Bill.

6. To date, Malala has received over 40 awards and honors for her bravery and activism, including an honorary doctorate from the University of King's College in 2014 and a Grammy Award for Best Children's Album (for the audiobook I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed the World ) in 2015.

7. When Malala turned 18, she opened an all-girls school for Syrian refugees, calling on leaders from around the world to provide "books not bullets."

8. In 2015 an asteroid was named in honor of Malala.

9. In April 2017 Malala became a UN Messenger of Peace.

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Malala Yousafzai Facts

Written by Lenard

Modified & Updated: 18 May 2024

Reviewed by Jessica Corbett

• Nobel Peace Prize Facts
• Women Empowerment Facts

As people have more access to information, the world’s awareness of the current social and political climate steadily increases. A huge part of this progress is thanks to hundreds of small voices that dare to speak up. From Greta Thunberg of the environmental movement to Malala Yousafzai’s work in addressing human rights and education for all, these people ‘s stories are a wonder to behold. Take a look at how a 10 year-old helped change the world despite the odds with these Malala Yousafzai facts.

• Malala Yousafzai was born on July 12, 1997 in the Swat District of Pakistan.
• To provide girls around the world with equal educational opportunities, she co-founded the Malala Fund charity in 2013.
• Malala opened an all-girls school for Syrian refugees when she turned 18.
• In 2015, NASA named the asteroid 316201 Malala after her.
• In 2012, Malala received Pakistan’s third-highest civilian bravery award, Sitara-e-Shujaat .
• Her best known advocacy is on equal rights to education.
• Malala is fluent in English, Pashto, and Urdu.
• She is the youngest person to address the House of Commons of Canada.
• She co-authored her best-selling autobiography, I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and was Shot by the Taliban .
• Malala Yousafzai became the subject of several documentaries, including the 2015 American documentary film He Named Me Malala .
• After her attack, her family permanently relocated to Birmingham, England.
• She once wanted to be a doctor, but her father encouraged her to become a politician.
• Maulana Fazlullah, who ordered the assassination of Malala, died in a US-Afghan airstrike in 2018.
• The Pakistani government passed their Right to Education Bill in large part because of Malala, and they also launched a $10 million education fund in her honor.
• Malala’s father wanted her to have the same opportunities and rights as any boy, which was unusual in their society.
• The name Malala means “grief-stricken”.
• Because she is a high-profile target to the Taliban, Malala did not return to Pakistan until 2018, five years after her attack.
• Time Magazine featured Malala three times as one of the most influential people of the year (2013, 2014, and 2015).
• Her parents named her Malala, inspired by the poet and warrior woman Malalai of Maiwand.
• Renowned American singer Madonna had a temporary tattoo of Malala Yousafzai on her back.

Malala Yousafzai Facts Infographics

Malala Yousafzai is the youngest person to receive a Nobel Prize.

While there are many essential Malala Yousafzai facts, one of the most notable ones is her status as the youngest Nobel Prize Laureate in history. On October 10th, 2014, Malala Yousafzai became co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. She received the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize in Norway along with children’s rights advocate Kailash Satyarthi. At 17 years old, Malala became the youngest person to ever receive a Nobel Prize , along with being the second Pakistani in history to receive one.

During Malala’s Nobel Peace Prize awarding ceremony, 21-year-old Mexican college student Adán Cortés interrupted the program to protest the 2014 Iguala mass kidnapping. Security personnel promptly took Cortés away. Malala responded to this with sympathy and acknowledged that young people worldwide face different problems. She also expressed that it’s important for the youth to speak up and protest.

Malala spoke out against the Pakistani Taliban at a young age.

Around 2007, the Pakistani Taliban began to occupy Swat, the district wherein Malala’s family resided. Only 10 years old at the time, Malala lived with her parents, two younger brothers, and two pet chickens . The Pakistani Taliban, or Tehrik-i-Taliban in Pakistan (TTP), wanted to enforce their strict and radical version of the Islamic Sharia law. The Pakistani Taliban wanted to impose a number of extreme rules such as death penalty for music store owners and barbers. They also prevented people from getting vaccinated, listening to music, or watching television. Furthermore, they banned girls from schools. The extremists also went as far as shutting down and blowing up schools. 

The Pakistani Taliban’s occupation of Swat thus forced Malala Yousafzai and her classmates to stop going to school. By the end of 2008, the Pakistani Taliban destroyed over 400 schools. This consequently prompted Yousafzai to speak out about the Taliban at a young age. Malala delivered her first public speech in September 2008 during a press club in Peshawar. Her speech, entitled How dare the Taliban take away my basic right to education? quickly caught the media’s attention. Yousafzai then became known for her remarkable courage by speaking out against the Taliban at 11 years old.

Malala Yousafzai worked as a blogger for BBC Urdu.

In 2008, BBC Urdu wanted to cover the Pakistani Taliban’s occupation of Swat through the eyes of a schoolgirl residing in the area. Many students refused to write for them because their families were worried about the potential risks that this could bring. One of their correspondents got in contact with Ziauddin Yousafzai, Malala’s father, who was also a local school teacher. Eventually, Ziauddin Yousafzai suggested that his daughter, Malala, could write for them. The editors at the BBC agreed that Malala Yousafzai could blog about the citizens’ daily lives under the regime of the Pakistani Taliban. She was in seventh grade at that time. To protect Malala, the BBC asked her to write under a pseudonym. Malala then wrote under the pseudonym “Gul Makai”, which takes inspiration from a Pashtun folk tale character. The BBC published her first entry on January 3, 2009.

The Pakistani Taliban shot Malala Yousafzai in the head.

Despite the dangers, Malala Yousafzai fervently spoke out against the Pakistani Taliban. She received death threats through social media and even had notes and newspapers slipped under her door. In 2012, however, the threats became reality.

On October 9th, 2012, a gunman of the Pakistani Taliban attacked Yousafzai as she was walking home from school with her friends Kainat Riaz and Shazia Ramzan. The two girls were stable after the shooting and survived to provide information to the authorities. Unfortunately, Malala was left in critical condition. The bullet hit her several inches away from her left eye, pierced her neck, and lodged in her shoulder.

Doctors operated on her in a military hospital in Peshawar, and she would later receive further treatment in Birmingham, England. She woke up from her coma on October 17th, 2012 and received medical treatment until her full recovery. The hospital discharged her on January 3, 2013.

The incident quickly gained worldwide news coverage. For many, it evoked feelings of anger and sympathy. Various world leaders, such as Pakistan’s Asif Ali Zardari, UN’s Ban Ki-moon, and US’s Barack Obama spoke out against the incident and the Pakistani Taliban.

Malala welcomed her 16th birthday by giving a speech.

One of the most interesting Malala Yousafzai facts is that on July 12, 2013, she celebrated her 16th birthday by giving a speech at the United Nations headquarters. This was also her first public speech following her attack in 2012. During the ceremony, Malala wore one of the shawls of the late Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan’s first female prime minister.

In her speech, she thanked everyone who supported her and aided in her recovery and acknowledged that she spoke for thousands of people who struggle to voice out their calls of help. Malala Yousafzai also spoke about women’s basic human rights, including rights to education, which the Pakistani Taliban tried to suppress. She called upon governments to provide children with free, compulsory education, and sought to ensure a brighter future for children worldwide. The Kate Whitney song Speak Out aired on International Women’s Day 2017, uses words from the speech as lyrics.

The United Nations officially dubbed July 12th as “Malala Day.”

Malala Yousafzai’s speech caught the attention of many and inspired leaders and celebrities worldwide. For many, she became a symbol of resistance and a beacon of hope for girls all around the world. To honor her bravery, the United Nations dubbed the day of her speech as Malala Day. Yousafzai commented on this by saying, “ Malala day is not my day. Today is the day of every woman, every boy and every girl who have raised their voice for their rights. ”

She co-founded the Malala Fund in 2013.

In 2013, Malala Yousafzai funded the Malala Fund with her father. Based in Birmingham, England, the Malala Fund is a non-profit organization committed to providing worldwide access to free, safe, and quality education.

Interestingly, the first contribution to the organization came from renowned actress Angelina Jolie. She donated $200,000 to fund the education of girls from the Swat District, where Malala came from. The Malala Fund went on to finance the creation of schools, classrooms, and educational programs for girls in many different countries, such as India, Brazil, Kenya , Ethiopia, Pakistan, and Turkey , among others.

She is the youngest UN Messenger of Peace.

In 2017, Malala received the highest honor given by the United Nations to citizens. They designated her a UN Messenger of Peace because of her resolve to create a better world. As Messenger of Peace, she continues to speak out about education for all and equal basic human rights. Additionally, she states that education is a right for all and should not be neglected. Other notable UN Messengers of Peace are Jane Goodall, Leonardo DiCaprio, George Clooney, and Stevie Wonder. Truly one of the most outstanding Malala Yousafzai facts.

Malala Yousafzai takes inspiration from her father.

Malala Yousafzai’s upbringing helped shape her unwavering advocacies. Her father, Ziauddin Yousafzai, is a teacher and a social activist himself. He founded a school in their region, advocating for equal educational rights for both boys and girls. As a child, he faced bullying for his skin color, socioeconomic status, and his stuttering problems. He also gained awareness of their society’s discrimination against women, and he vowed to advocate against all kinds of discrimination and injustice.

Ziauddin Yousafzai’s work inspired Malala to take action as well. He had a profound influence on the young girl and encouraged her to become a politician in the future. Ziauddin described his daughter Malala as a bright and special girl who would often discuss politics with him. 

Malala Yousafzai graduated from Oxford University in 2020.

One of the more recent Malala Yousafzai facts is that she graduated from Oxford University . In 2017, she started studying in Oxford University. She studied at one of Oxford’s colleges, Lady Margaret Hall. Benazir Bhutto also studied in this college in the 1970s.  During her time in Oxford, Malala stated that she joined the Oxford Union, the Oxford Pakistan Society, and the cricket club. She also lived a relatively normal college life and stated that she often crammed essays at 11 PM the night before they were due. On June 19th, 2020, Malala made a celebratory post on Twitter that read:

Hard to express my joy and gratitude right now as I completed my Philosophy, Politics and Economics degree at Oxford. I don’t know what’s ahead. For now, it will be Netflix, reading and sleep. 😴 pic.twitter.com/AUxN55cUAf — Malala (@Malala) June 19, 2020

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Malala Yousafzai: 16th birthday speech at the United Nations

"So let us wage a global struggle against illiteracy, poverty and terrorism and let us pick up our books and pens. They are our most powerful weapons." {"content":{"data":{},"content":[{"data":{},"content":[{"data":{},"marks":[],"value":"\"So let us wage a global struggle against illiteracy, poverty and terrorism and let us pick up our books and pens. They are our most powerful weapons.\"","nodeType":"text"}],"nodeType":"paragraph"}],"nodeType":"document"}}

New York, New York

Bismillah hir rahman ir rahim. In the name of God, the most merciful, the most beneficent.

Honourable UN Secretary General Mr Ban Ki-moon, Respected President General Assembly Vuk Jeremic Honourable UN envoy for Global education Mr Gordon Brown, Respected elders and my dear brothers and sisters; Today, it is an honour for me to be speaking again after a long time. Being here with such honourable people is a great moment in my life.

I don't know where to begin my speech. I don't know what people would be expecting me to say. But first of all, thank you to God for whom we all are equal and thank you to every person who has prayed for my fast recovery and a new life. I cannot believe how much love people have shown me. I have received thousands of good wish cards and gifts from all over the world. Thank you to all of them. Thank you to the children whose innocent words encouraged me. Thank you to my elders whose prayers strengthened me.

I would like to thank my nurses, doctors and all of the staff of the hospitals in Pakistan and the UK and the UAE government who have helped me get better and recover my strength. I fully support Mr Ban Ki-moon the Secretary-General in his Global Education First Initiative and the work of the UN Special Envoy Mr Gordon Brown. And I thank them both for the leadership they continue to give. They continue to inspire all of us to action.

There are hundreds of human rights activists and social workers who are not only speaking for human rights, but who are struggling to achieve their goals of education, peace and equality. Thousands of people have been killed by the terrorists and millions have been injured. I am just one of them.

So here I stand, one girl among many.

I speak not for myself, but for all girls and boys.

I raise up my voice — not so that I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard.

Those who have fought for their rights:

Their right to live in peace. Their right to be treated with dignity. Their right to equality of opportunity. Their right to be educated.

Dear Friends, on the 9th of October 2012, the Taliban shot me on the left side of my forehead. They shot my friends too. They thought that the bullets would silence us. But they failed. And then, out of that silence came, thousands of voices. The terrorists thought that they would change our aims and stop our ambitions but nothing changed in my life except this: Weakness, fear and hopelessness died. Strength, power and courage was born. I am the same Malala. My ambitions are the same. My hopes are the same. My dreams are the same.

Dear sisters and brothers, I am not against anyone. Neither am I here to speak in terms of personal revenge against the Taliban or any other terrorists group. I am here to speak up for the right of education of every child. I want education for the sons and the daughters of all the extremists especially the Taliban.

I do not even hate the Talib who shot me. Even if there is a gun in my hand and he stands in front of me. I would not shoot him. This is the compassion that I have learnt from Muhammad — the prophet of mercy, Jesus Christ and Lord Buddha. This is the legacy of change that I have inherited from Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela and Muhammad Ali Jinnah. This is the philosophy of non-violence that I have learnt from Gandhi Jee, Bacha Khan and Mother Teresa. And this is the forgiveness that I have learnt from my mother and father. This is what my soul is telling me, be peaceful and love everyone.

Dear sisters and brothers, we realise the importance of light when we see darkness. We realise the importance of our voice when we are silenced. In the same way, when we were in Swat, the north of Pakistan, we realised the importance of pens and books when we saw the guns.

The wise saying, "The pen is mightier than sword” was true. The extremists are afraid of books and pens. The power of education frightens them. They are afraid of women. The power of the voice of women frightens them. And that is why they killed 14 innocent medical students in the recent attack in Quetta. And that is why they killed many female teachers and polio workers in Khyber Pukhtoon Khwa and FATA. That is why they are blasting schools every day. Because they were and they are afraid of change, afraid of the equality that we will bring into our society.

I remember that there was a boy in our school who was asked by a journalist, "Why are the Taliban against education?” He answered very simply. By pointing to his book he said, “A Talib doesn't know what is written inside this book.” They think that God is a tiny, little conservative being who would send girls to the hell just because of going to school. The terrorists are misusing the name of Islam and Pashtun society for their own personal benefits. Pakistan is peace-loving democratic country. Pashtuns want education for their daughters and sons. And Islam is a religion of peace, humanity and brotherhood. Islam says that it is not only each child's right to get education, rather it is their duty and responsibility.

Honourable Secretary General, peace is necessary for education. In many parts of the world especially Pakistan and Afghanistan; terrorism, wars and conflicts stop children to go to their schools. We are really tired of these wars. Women and children are suffering in many parts of the world in many ways. In India, innocent and poor children are victims of child labour. Many schools have been destroyed in Nigeria. People in Afghanistan have been affected by the hurdles of extremism for decades. Young girls have to do domestic child labour and are forced to get married at early age. Poverty, ignorance, injustice, racism and the deprivation of basic rights are the main problems faced by both men and women.

Dear fellows, today I am focusing on women's rights and girls' education because they are suffering the most. There was a time when women social activists asked men to stand up for their rights. But, this time, we will do it by ourselves. I am not telling men to step away from speaking for women's rights rather I am focusing on women to be independent to fight for themselves.

Dear sisters and brothers, now it's time to speak up.

So today, we call upon the world leaders to change their strategic policies in favour of peace and prosperity.

We call upon the world leaders that all the peace deals must protect women and children's rights. A deal that goes against the dignity of women and their rights is unacceptable.

We call upon all governments to ensure free compulsory education for every child all over the world.

We call upon all governments to fight against terrorism and violence, to protect children from brutality and harm.

We call upon the developed nations to support the expansion of educational opportunities for girls in the developing world.

We call upon all communities to be tolerant — to reject prejudice based on cast, creed, sect, religion or gender. To ensure freedom and equality for women so that they can flourish. We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back.

We call upon our sisters around the world to be brave — to embrace the strength within themselves and realise their full potential.

Dear brothers and sisters, we want schools and education for every child's bright future. We will continue our journey to our destination of peace and education for everyone. No one can stop us. We will speak for our rights and we will bring change through our voice. We must believe in the power and the strength of our words. Our words can change the world.

Because we are all together, united for the cause of education. And if we want to achieve our goal, then let us empower ourselves with the weapon of knowledge and let us shield ourselves with unity and togetherness.

Dear brothers and sisters, we must not forget that millions of people are suffering from poverty, injustice and ignorance. We must not forget that millions of children are out of schools. We must not forget that our sisters and brothers are waiting for a bright peaceful future.

So let us wage a global struggle against illiteracy, poverty and terrorism and let us pick up our books and pens. They are our most powerful weapons.

One child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world.

Education is the only solution. Education first.

Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani activist, student, UN messenger of peace and the youngest Nobel Laureate. As co-founder of Malala Fund, she is building a world where every girl can learn and lead without fear.

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