Malala Yousufzai- Born: July 12, 1997
Since she was 11, Malala Yousufzai has been convincing people in the Swat Valley to stand up to the Taliban. The taliban attacked her and said if she doesn't keep her mouth shut they will come back for her. Her response was "I shall raise my voice" they came back and now the world has one less young advocate. She lived with her younger brothers, and parents. She affectionately referred to the region as "my Swat. Malala looked up to her dad, Ziauddin Yousafzai, who is a poet, school owner, and an educational activist in pakistan running a chain of schools known as the Khushal Public School.
She wanted to be a doctor though later her father encouraged her to become a politician instead. In 2009 she had an opportunity to be a bbc blogger. She and other girls at the school wrote about "what life under the taliban was like." Eventually the taliban banned girls from going to school during the weeks. Before the ban her school told her not to wear the uniform, so the taliban would not become angered and blow up the school. Instead she wore pink dresses to make it seem like she was just out and about, which later was also banned. After the ban, the Taliban continued to destroy schools in the area. On 19 January, Yousafzai wrote "Five more schools have been destroyed, one of them was near my house. I am quite surprised, because these schools were closed so why did they also need to be destroyed?”
On 21 February, Yousafzai got what she had been hoping for. Fazlullah announced on his FM radio station that he was lifting the ban on women's education and girls would be allowed to attend school until exams were held on 17 March, but they had to wear burqas- which are full body covering veils. The taliban soon vetoed that choice one of the taliban officials said "women will not be allowed either to go to jobs or markets". Soon after Malala finished the bbc journal it was published in the NY times. The documentary made many more people know about the story and she ended up becoming a well known activist. While we saw her as an activist the Taliban saw her as a threat, she was a constant facebook user, fake profiles were made under her name and she received death threats from the Taliban. On 9 October 2012, a gunman shot Yousafzai as she rode home on a bus after taking an exam in Pakistan’s Swat Valley.
The masked gunman shouted "Which one of you is Malala? "Speak up, Otherwise I will shoot you all"and, on her being identified, shot at her. She was hit with one bullet, which went through her head, neck, and ended in her shoulder.Two other girls were also wounded in the shooting. She risked her life for the right to be educated and this defines moral courage because she stood up for what she believed in. The cruel world around her wanted to stop her from being educated enough to do so. She was just another girl, but she had to grow up fast. What makes her so courageous is knowing that she would be targeted by the taliban. They even told her that they would kill her, sending her death threats from time to time. Her father could have easily educated her but Malala wanted everybody to be equal and get an education.
Malala deeply stuck with her core values not letting anything from bombs to shotguns shake her. Malala had more courage in the short life she lived than many have in their whole lives. Instead of going with the flow and just letting it be she decided to BE the voice for change. It is unclear whether Malala's faith influenced her courage, but it seems like she was mainly influenced by the same things that influence her father. From him she learned society cannot function without an education. Sometimes you have to risk your life to make your life worth living, and you have to speak out for your voice to be heard. Malala pushed forward knowing that it had little chance of succeeding. She also knew that it wouldn't exactly be safe but she knew she rather live an educated life than a wasteful life. Instead of letting this happen, Malala took action for this unacceptable behavior. She kept going with a pen in her hand and a gleam in her eye.
Timeline:
January 2009
The Taliban orders that all private schools in the swat area close.
Malala writes a diary for the BBC
At 11, she already knows that she wants to be a doctor, but cries at the thought of not being able to fulfill that dream because of the Taliban's edicts.
May 2009
The taliban now controls the swat area. Dozens die and thousands flee.
A peace deal between the Pakistani government and the Taliban collapses. Later, the Taliban is routed from the area, but pockets of militants remain, and they force their harsh rules on citizens.
November 2011
Malala, continues to speak out on behalf of all Pakistani girls
December 2011
The government renames the title the honor the National Malala Peace Prize.
April 2012
Malala, now in the eighth grade, speaks with the website Think Twice Pakistan about a possible career in politics.
Oct. 9, 2012
On her way home from school, Malala is shot in the head when Taliban gunmen pull over her school bus and ask for her by name. She is rushed to a hospital, and then later transferred to another facility in Peshawar for emergency surgery. The Taliban claims responsibility, and promises Malala's ongoing "obscenity."
Oct. 10, 2012
Doctors successfully remove a bullet that was near Malala's spine
Since she was 11, Malala Yousufzai has been convincing people in the Swat Valley to stand up to the Taliban. The taliban attacked her and said if she doesn't keep her mouth shut they will come back for her. Her response was "I shall raise my voice" they came back and now the world has one less young advocate. She lived with her younger brothers, and parents. She affectionately referred to the region as "my Swat. Malala looked up to her dad, Ziauddin Yousafzai, who is a poet, school owner, and an educational activist in pakistan running a chain of schools known as the Khushal Public School.
She wanted to be a doctor though later her father encouraged her to become a politician instead. In 2009 she had an opportunity to be a bbc blogger. She and other girls at the school wrote about "what life under the taliban was like." Eventually the taliban banned girls from going to school during the weeks. Before the ban her school told her not to wear the uniform, so the taliban would not become angered and blow up the school. Instead she wore pink dresses to make it seem like she was just out and about, which later was also banned. After the ban, the Taliban continued to destroy schools in the area. On 19 January, Yousafzai wrote "Five more schools have been destroyed, one of them was near my house. I am quite surprised, because these schools were closed so why did they also need to be destroyed?”
On 21 February, Yousafzai got what she had been hoping for. Fazlullah announced on his FM radio station that he was lifting the ban on women's education and girls would be allowed to attend school until exams were held on 17 March, but they had to wear burqas- which are full body covering veils. The taliban soon vetoed that choice one of the taliban officials said "women will not be allowed either to go to jobs or markets". Soon after Malala finished the bbc journal it was published in the NY times. The documentary made many more people know about the story and she ended up becoming a well known activist. While we saw her as an activist the Taliban saw her as a threat, she was a constant facebook user, fake profiles were made under her name and she received death threats from the Taliban. On 9 October 2012, a gunman shot Yousafzai as she rode home on a bus after taking an exam in Pakistan’s Swat Valley.
The masked gunman shouted "Which one of you is Malala? "Speak up, Otherwise I will shoot you all"and, on her being identified, shot at her. She was hit with one bullet, which went through her head, neck, and ended in her shoulder.Two other girls were also wounded in the shooting. She risked her life for the right to be educated and this defines moral courage because she stood up for what she believed in. The cruel world around her wanted to stop her from being educated enough to do so. She was just another girl, but she had to grow up fast. What makes her so courageous is knowing that she would be targeted by the taliban. They even told her that they would kill her, sending her death threats from time to time. Her father could have easily educated her but Malala wanted everybody to be equal and get an education.
Malala deeply stuck with her core values not letting anything from bombs to shotguns shake her. Malala had more courage in the short life she lived than many have in their whole lives. Instead of going with the flow and just letting it be she decided to BE the voice for change. It is unclear whether Malala's faith influenced her courage, but it seems like she was mainly influenced by the same things that influence her father. From him she learned society cannot function without an education. Sometimes you have to risk your life to make your life worth living, and you have to speak out for your voice to be heard. Malala pushed forward knowing that it had little chance of succeeding. She also knew that it wouldn't exactly be safe but she knew she rather live an educated life than a wasteful life. Instead of letting this happen, Malala took action for this unacceptable behavior. She kept going with a pen in her hand and a gleam in her eye.
Timeline:
January 2009
The Taliban orders that all private schools in the swat area close.
Malala writes a diary for the BBC
At 11, she already knows that she wants to be a doctor, but cries at the thought of not being able to fulfill that dream because of the Taliban's edicts.
May 2009
The taliban now controls the swat area. Dozens die and thousands flee.
A peace deal between the Pakistani government and the Taliban collapses. Later, the Taliban is routed from the area, but pockets of militants remain, and they force their harsh rules on citizens.
November 2011
Malala, continues to speak out on behalf of all Pakistani girls
December 2011
The government renames the title the honor the National Malala Peace Prize.
April 2012
Malala, now in the eighth grade, speaks with the website Think Twice Pakistan about a possible career in politics.
Oct. 9, 2012
On her way home from school, Malala is shot in the head when Taliban gunmen pull over her school bus and ask for her by name. She is rushed to a hospital, and then later transferred to another facility in Peshawar for emergency surgery. The Taliban claims responsibility, and promises Malala's ongoing "obscenity."
Oct. 10, 2012
Doctors successfully remove a bullet that was near Malala's spine