Who is Malala Yousafzai?

Malala Yousafzai is an important person because, even though she is not a Christian, she fights for other people’s rights, even if she has to sacrifice her own. She is an extremely strong girl and she would do anything for her family. All she wants is for girls to have the right to go to school. “It feels like this life is not my life. It’s a second life. People have prayed to God to spare me and I was spared for a reason -- to use my life for helping people.”(Yousafzai, 301). This young lady was born in Mingora, Pakistan, the largest city in Pakistan, which contains the Swat Valley where Malala grew up. Before the Taliban took over, the Swat Valley was a very happy and famous place. Festivals and shows were held there, and it was a popular tourist spot. Her birthday is on July 12, and she was born in 1997. Her parents’ first child was stillborn, so they were happy to have a healthy little girl. Malalai of Maiwand is the greatest heroine of Afghanistan, and that is who Malala was named after. Malala’s father told people, “I know there is something different about this child.”(Yousafzai, 14) He said this after she was born and he looked into her eyes. A couple of years later, her mother gave birth to a little boy and named him Kushal. After that, her family thought that they would add another little one to the group, and her mother gave birth to another little boy named Atal. She grew up Muslim in a very happy home with a loving family. Islam had a lot of rules that were to be followed many years ago, but the laws are not as strictly enforced now. When the Taliban came along, they strictly enforced these laws again. Women are not allowed to wear makeup or earrings, and they are required to dress a certain way. If someone steps out of line, they are punished. Malala was shot by the Taliban on October 9, 2012, while on her way home from school. She was only 15 years old. She was shot because she was speaking out about girls’ rights to go to school. She was flown to England for medical treatment and now lives there with her family. She has become a symbol of hope and courage for girls all over the world. She has won many awards, including the Nobel Peace Prize. She is an inspiration to everyone who knows her story. We should never judge a book by its cover, especially a book this amazing.

Works Cited

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Nudd, Tim. “Malala Yousafzai Captivates Glamour Event with Riveting Speech About Bravery.” People.com. 12 November 2013: 1. Print.

Yousafzai, Malala, and Christina Lamb. I am Malala. New York: Hachette