“One book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can change the world. “(I am Malala). The many opportunities we are blessed with in this country is many times forgotten and taken for granted especially with the many distractions we have. any places outside the United States millions of people, especially women are not allowed to get an education. Women at a very young age of 13 are forced to drop out of school, get married and bear children. People are afraid to speak up and question the society on why are they not receiving an education.
We realize the importance of our voices only when we are silenced. ” (I am Malala) Amongst them a 17 years old girl, Malala Yousafzai spoke out against the Taliban in Pakistan and demanded that girls be allowed to receive an education. She has fought for women’s rights and girls’ education around the world helping and inspiring millions of girls around the world. Malala Yousafzai was born on 12 July 1997 in the Swat District of Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, into a Sunni Muslim family of Pashtun ethnicity.
She is the daughter of Ziauddin and Tor Pekai Yousafzai and has two younger brothers. “. Her father named Malala after Malalai of Maiwand, a famous Pushtu poetess and warrior woman from southern Afghanistan”(Malala Bio). Malala was educated mostly by her father, Ziauddin Yousafzai who is a poet, school owner, and an educational activist , running a chain of private schools known as the Khushal Public School. Ziauddin mentioned that ever since a very young age Malala was “something entirely special”. He had always encouraged her to get the highest education she could get. Malala has mentioned, “If I had an ordinary father and an ordinary mother then I would have 2 children. “(He named me Malala) Malala also has learned to be Fluent in Pashto, English, and Urdu. She always was passionate about reading and writing. Her hometown area used to be a very popular place where many turorits would visit.
In 2007, when Malala was only 10 years old her hometown began to change as the Taliban tried to take control affecting her family and community. “They appeared in groups, armed with knives and Kalashnikovs and first emerged in upper swat, in the valley area of Matta. (I am Malala). The Taliban began attacking girl’s school in swat stating girls education was completely unnecessary, useless and simply a waste of time. By the end of 2008, it was announced that all school would close resulting in nearly 400 schools to be destroyed by the Taliban . With a firm belief in her rights to education, Malala was determined to go and make a change by standing up to the Taliban. With her father’s blessing, Malala began writing an anonymous blog for BBC on January 3, 2009.
She explained her life under Taliban rule, their attempts to take control of the valley, and stating her opinion on the importance of education for girls. “I raise up my voice-not so I can shout but so that those without a voice can be heard… we cannot succeed when half of us are held back. ” (I am Malala) She addressed to a local press club in Peshawar and questioned the audacity of the Taliban to snatch away her basic right to education“The Taliban could take our pens and books, but they couldn’t stop our minds from thinking. (I am Malala) Even though she wrote the blog anonymously, her identity was revealed and she slowly rose to fame, giving interviews in print and on television. Due to her inspirational speeches, she received a nomination for the International Children’s Peace Prize in 2011 and was awarded Pakistan’s National Youth Peace Prize. As Malala was becoming more recognized, the dangers facing her increased.
The Taliban was increasingly becoming agitated and she soon started to receiving death threats on her doorstep, mail, and the newspaper. The day when everything changed was Tuesday, 9 October 2012. “(I am Malala) She was on her way home from school, a man boarded the bus Malala was riding in and demanded “Malala”. When her friends looked toward Malala,that’s the gunman a Taliban gunman shot her in the head as the bullet went through her head and neck to end in her shoulder. “My friends say he fired three shots, one after another. “(I am Malala)The shooting left Malala in critical condition, so she was flown to a military hospital in Peshawar. A portion of her skull was removed to treat her swelling brain.
She remained unconscious and in critical condition, but was quickly improved enough for her to be sent to a hospital in the United Kingdom for intensive rehabilitation. Eventually, she had recovered and resumed her studies at the all-girls’ Edgbaston High School in Birmingham. The shooting resulted in a massive support for Malala from all over the world resulting in great effects of the outgrown problems for freedom of education. Despite the continued threats she received by the Taliban, Malala continued to voice her thoughts and speak up for the freedom of education. “They thought that the bullets would silence us.
But they failed,” (The UN christened July 14, 2014, as Malala Day. ) “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 were born. “. On October 10, 2013, the European Parliament awarded Malala Yousafzai the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. ” The terrorists thought they would change my aims and stop my ambitions, but nothing changed in my life except this: weakness, fear, and hopelessness died.
Strength, power and courage were born. “(I am Malala) Malala shared her story, her inspiration, and family, her plans for the future resulting on her widespread on media coverage. “People say Malala’s voice is being sold to the world. But I see it as Malala’s voice reaching the world and resonating globally. You should think about what is behind Malala’s voice. What is she saying? I am only talking about education, women’s rights, and peace. “(1 am Malala) On October 2014, Malala became the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
In congratulating Yousafzai, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said: “She is (the) pride of Pakistan, she has made her countrymen proud. Her achievement is unparalleled and unequaled. Girls and boys of the world should take the lead from her struggle and commitment. ” Malala has continued to campaign for girls education in Muslim countries and raised over 7 million dollars on the Malala fund aimed to raise girls’ voices and ensure every girl has access to education . On July 12, 2013, her 16th birthday, Malala visited New York and spoke at the United Nations giving an incredible speech.
The UN dubbed the event “Malala Day”. The same year, her autobiography, ‘I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban’ was published. The novel talks about the obstacles and the struggles she went through to simply earn an education. In her country, education for the girl is not a right and she fought against the system and the people that agreed that men are not capable of earning an education. On October 10, 2013, the European Parliament awarded Malala the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought for her outstanding bravery and her courageous acts.
When Malala turned 18, she also asked her supporters on The Malala Fund website: “Post a photo of yourself holding up your favorite book and share why YOU choose#BooksNotBullets – and tell world leaders to fund the real weapon for change, education! ” “I don’t want to be remembered as the girl who was shot. I want to be remembered as the girl who stood up. “(I am Malala). Malala has set a very inspiring example to women around the world stating that women should not fear to speak up and get an education. Her outspoken bravery and courage have led to feeling the need to fight for gender equality and speak up and make a change.
She continues to speak out against education for women and gender equality and raising funds over & million dollars. Malala is an inspiration the kids and adults of this generation. She is one of the greatest reformists in history because she is one of the few that has made her quest global. This world needs someone like her because I think educating children is likely to have the biggest impact on the future of the planet. Though this is very simple and not a surprising statement, surprisingly very few in this world stand for this cause.
In her country, education for the girl is not a right and she fought against the system and the people that agreed that men are not capable of earning an education. The men that think women are not made to study and have a career and future. But they are made to just produce for the family and just be the pleasure for men. Malala is from an Islamic background where men do not have that much respect for women and think that there is no value for them in this worlds. She raised her voice against the Taliban and bravely stood up resulting in her great works and achievements and that truly classifies her as a modern day hero.
