On July 12, 2020, Malala Yousafzai turned 23 years old. Malala Yousafzai is an education activist, and is the youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate. She was born in Mingora, Pakistan and was the daughter to a teacher in a girls’ school.
![Malala with senator Kamala Harris [July 7, 2017]](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1da8a7_f201fbed81d94129b0381031ad606a31~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_184,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/1da8a7_f201fbed81d94129b0381031ad606a31~mv2.jpg)
Malala loved school, but when the Taliban took control over their village, they banned many things. (Malala.org/malalas-story) Girls were no longer allowed to go to school. In January 2008, Malala and all the girls had no choice but to drop out of school.
This encouraged Malala to speak publicly and to advocate for girls and their right to learn. Malala became a target. One day, on the way home from school, Malala was shot on the left side of the head. She survived, and this inspired her to keep fighting and advocating for girls’ education. She gave a speech at the United Nations and admitted that she does not hate the taliban who shot her.
"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." - Malala Yousafzai 2013, United Nations
In 2014, she established the Malala Fund with the help of her father, and she received the Nobel Peace Prize in December 2014.
"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." - Malala Yousafzai 2013, United Nations.
As of 2020, she is currently attending Oxford University and studying philosophy, politics, and Economics. The Malala fund is still working extremely hard to provide quality education to girls around the world.
For more information visit: https://malala.org/
*United States Senate - The Office of Kamala Harris / Public domain