 |
| July 12th |
On
Malala Day,
we
celebrate the young leader,
role
model and Nobel Peace Prize winner.
Malala is
the first Pakistani and the youngest person to
receive a Nobel Peace Prize in 2014. In her acceptance speech for the Noble
Prize, which she shared with Kailash Satyarthi of India, she said – “I tell my
story not because it is unique but because it isn’t. It is the story of many
other girls.”
On her 16th birthday, she gave a speech at the United Nations. Her birthday, 12th July was declared as Malala Day by the United Nations. This year she is celebrating her 19th birthday.
Don’t ever give up, if you want it enough it will happen
Malala spoke up for education for all children and peace early on in life. Her experiences as a young girl under the Taliban regime, where education was threatened made her realize the value of education and peace.
She has been single minded and devoted to her cause for education. After she was shot and survived, the world came to support her and show their solidarity with her fight for education. In 2012, Gordon Brown, former British Prime Minister and UN Special Envoy for Global Education visited her in the hospital and launched a petition in her name. “I am Malala”, was the slogan that was used. The petition’s demand was to ensure that no child be left out of school by 2015. The attack on Malala and the petition prompted Pakistan to create their first ever Right to Education Bill.
Stay focused on your goal
The attainment and prevalence of education and peace are Malala’s primary goals. It is something that she has never lost sight of. Through the fund, she has campaigned for education for Syrian refugees in Jordan and started projects in Pakistan, Kenya and Nigeria. She writes, “I have spoken to world leaders and encouraged them to raise the education budgets of their countries and pushed powerful nations to give greater education but I know there is so much left to do. I thank God that I have been given this platform to campaign for. This is now my life’s work, my mission and my dream.”
In the face of success, it is easy to lose sight of one’s goal, but it is essential to not waver, not stray but stay on course with what you started in the first place- your original goal.
Giving is important
This young woman carries a lot on her shoulders, but as a young leader and role model who has received tremendous support from the world, she is doing her bit to help others.
When Malala gets prizes she sends them to the Swat district to help children get an education or adults to startup some small business so they can support their families. With the Malala Fund, she has been doing a lot in Kenya, especially in Masai Mara.
Though she is girl who was shot down by the Taliban and survived, and is a young leader and activist, she is also a refugee. In her book, her longing for her homeland is visible.
In talking about herself and her journey, while Malala talks about her big dream and goals for education for all, she also points out that she is like any other young girl. A young girl who likes to indulge in school gossip, fight with her brothers over an ipod and has a messy room, loves Physics, and is competitive when it comes to exam. So while many things have changed, some things have remained the same for her.
As she beautifully sums it up – “I am Malala. My world has changed but I have not.”
Act Today
To support
education for all children everywhere!
Listen to “I Am Malala” Speech here
Read more about
the Malala Story
and her Fund
Raising Activities around the world here
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