Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani student, education activist, and young woman who lives in a province of Pakistan which she once described as paradise. We are sure you have all heard of this young woman who is only 16 years old and is already up for receiving a Noble Peace Prize. However, for those of you who have not, let’s meet her.
Malala was born July 12, 1997 in Pakistan where she lived with her two younger brothers, her mother, her father, and two pet chickens. Thankfully to her father, Ziauddin, Malala was highly educated growing up as he encouraged her to have politcal discussions past bed time about the Taliban in the area.
Her first try at speaking about education rights came in 2008 when her father took her to speak at a local press club and she expressed her anger towards the Taliban for taking away her right of education. Later that year, BBC reached out to the area Malala lived in for a schoolgirl to blog about her life but many refused due to the dangers behind it. Malala and her family stepped forward as highly interested and there it began. The Taliban were taking away education, media, and shopping away from women just as fast as Malala’s blog was becoming popular, unanimously of course, as it was initially published on January 3, 2009.
Schools shut down in the area but Malala continued to write and express how annual exams were fast approaching and would only be possible if the Taliban opened up the schools again. Her blog ended in March of that year as the Taliban began to settle down their activities. However, Malala’s father received death threats as the New York Times reached out the family asking to film a documentary. Following this, Malala’s career really kicked off as all corners of the world were reaching out to her and her father asking for interviews and nominating her for prestigious awards for speaking up about girl’s education.
On October 9, 2012, a Taliban gunman shot Malala twice-once in the neck and once in the head on a school bus. She survived after much rehabilitation in a hospital in England. A few days later, on the 15th, UN Speicla Envoy for Global Education Gordon Brown visited her in the hospital launching a petition in her name and “in support of what Malala fought for”. The petition’s prime objective was to have no children left out of school by 2015 with a focus on girls like Malala being able to receive education.
Calling for worldwide access to education, receiving standing ovations, having girls across the world look up to her, being nominated for multiple awards including a possible Noble Peace Prize, and meeting Barack Obama and his family are just a few of the things that have filled the past year for Malala.
On Friday September 27, 2013, Malala graced The United States as she sat on Harvard University’s campus eager and ready to accept The Humanitarian of The Year Award. With a good relationship to Her Campus Harvard, we were able to catch a quick interview with the campus correspondent there, Amanda Rodrigues, about this special occasion:
HC: If you could give three words to describe Malala, what would they be?
AR: Humble, brave, and motivated.
HC: Every girl has seen her in the news, well we hope so at least, and have heard her “15 second e-pitch” that resonates in all of us. What would you say was one thing from her speech at Harvard that resonated in you which you would not have been able to get by seeing it through media?
AR: Hearing Malala speak in such a personal setting was inspiring, to say the least, because it reinforced the fact that the battle she is fighting is not one that she can win alone. Through the courage and ambition that she radiates in her humility and outstanding achievements, Malala manages to inspire waves of people to believe in her cause and in the positive effects of education.
HC: Lastly, what is The Humanitarian Award which Harvard presented to her and why is this so significant?
AR: The Humanitarian of the Year Award is always given to someone who has made a significant contribution to the betterment of society. It is especially significant this year because Malala is the youngest person to have been honored.
Malala has rocked the world, us, and Harvard. But as Amanda has said, she cannot do it alone. She needs the voices and hands from everyone in the world to stand up with her and support her. To join in supporting her, visit the UN’s Global Education First Initiative’s website or the Malala Fund here. If you are interested in reading her book about her experiences, check it out under the title, “I Am Malala“. Did we mention she blew away Jon Stewart? Check out a glimpse of her interview below. Rock on Malala, we all love and support you.