#sparkchamber 071221 — Malala Yousafzai
Three things we love at #sparkchamber are grrl power, education, and celebration. We hit the trifecta today as we send out happy birthday wishes to human rights activist Malala Yousafzai, born on this day in 1997 in Mingora, Pakistan. As she writes, “welcoming a baby girl is not always cause for celebration in Pakistan — but my father, Ziauddin Yousafzai, was determined to give me every opportunity a boy would have.”
Her father was a teacher and ran a girls’ school in her village. But everything changed when the Taliban took control of her town in Swat Valley. Among other things, the extremists declared that girls could no longer go to school — and they enforced harsh punishments for those who defied their orders.
Just 11 years old at the time, Malala spoke out publicly on behalf of girls’ right to learn. And she kept it up, making her a target. “In October 2012, on my way home from school, a masked gunman boarded my school bus and asked, “Who is Malala?” He shot me on the left side of my head. I woke up 10 days later in a hospital in Birmingham, England. The doctors and nurses told me about the attack — and that people around the world were praying for my recovery.” The assassination attempt had sparked a national and international outpouring of support, and the world stood by her side through months and months of surgeries and rehabilitation.
Her family had relocated to the U.K., and when she was able to join them at their new home, she took stock. “It was then I knew I had a choice: I could live a quiet life, or I could make the most of this new life I had been given.” She chose the latter, determined to continue the fight until every girl could go to school.
With her father — always her ally and inspiration — she established Malala Fund in 2013 to champion every girl’s right to 12 years of free, safe, quality education, giving every girl an opportunity to achieve a future she chooses. Malala Fund invests in education advocates and activists around the world who are challenging the policies and practices that prevent girls from going to school in their communities. A year later, a global symbol of peaceful protest, Malala received the Nobel Peace Prize for her work — the youngest-ever Nobel laureate.
Her memoir I Am Malala tells her full story. A remarkable book that shows the power of one voice to inspire change in the world.
Happy birthday dear Malala. Happy birthday to you.
1.] Where do ideas come from?
It seemed to me that everyone knows they will die one day. My feeling was nobody can stop death; it doesn't matter if it comes from a Talib or cancer. So I should do whatever I want to do.
2.] What is the itch you are scratching?
We need to encourage girls that their voice matters. I think there are hundreds and thousands of Malalas out there.
3.] Early bird or night owl? Tortoise or hare?
At night our fear is strong . . . but in the morning, in the light, we find our courage again.
4.] How do you know when you are done?
Though we loved school, we hadn't realized how important education was until the Taliban tried to stop us. Going to school, reading and doing our homework wasn't just a way of passing time, it was our future.
If people were silent nothing would change.