Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani activist who advocates for girls’ education and human rights. She is the youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate, receiving the award in 2014 at the age of 17.
She survived an assassination attempt by the Pakistani Taliban in 2012, and has since become a global symbol of courage and hope.
She is the co-founder of Malala Fund, an organization that works to empower girls and ensure their access to quality education.
She is also the author of several books, including her memoir I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban.
Malala Yousafzai Early Life and Education
Malala Yousafzai was born on July 12, 1997 (26 years old), in Mingora, the largest city in the Swat Valley in Pakistan. She is the daughter of Ziauddin and Tor Pekai Yousafzai, and has two younger brothers. Her father was an outspoken social activist and educator, who ran a school for girls in Mingora. Malala developed a passion for learning and reading from a young age, and wanted to become a doctor.
In 2007, the Swat Valley was taken over by the Taliban, a militant group that imposed strict Islamic law and banned girls from going to school. Malala and her family were forced to flee their home and live as internally displaced persons in other parts of Pakistan. In 2009, they returned to Swat, where Malala began to speak out against the Taliban and their oppression of women and girls. She wrote a blog for the BBC under the pseudonym Gul Makai, describing her life under Taliban rule and her desire to continue her education. She also appeared in a documentary by The New York Times and gave interviews to local and international media.
Malala’s activism made her a target for the Taliban, who issued death threats against her and her family. On October 9, 2012, when Malala was 15 years old, a gunman boarded her school bus and shot her in the head. She survived the attack, but was critically injured and had to be airlifted to a hospital in Peshawar. She was later transferred to a hospital in Birmingham, England, where she underwent several surgeries and recovered from her injuries.
Malala’s story of courage and resilience inspired millions of people around the world, and she received widespread support and recognition for her advocacy of girls’ education and human rights. She was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2013, and became the youngest recipient of the award in 2014, sharing it with Indian activist Kailash Satyarthi.
Malala continued her education in England, where she attended Edgbaston High School and later Oxford University, where she graduated with a degree in philosophy, politics and economics in 2020.
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Malala Yousafzai Career
After recovering from the assassination attempt, Malala Yousafzai continued to speak out for girls’ education and human rights, becoming a global symbol of courage and hope. She addressed the United Nations on her 16th birthday in 2013, and launched the Malala Fund, a non-profit organization that works to empower girls and ensure their access to quality education.
She also wrote several books, including her memoir I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban, which became a bestseller and was translated into many languages. She also published Malala’s Magic Pencil, a children’s book inspired by her own childhood, and We Are Displaced, a collection of stories from refugee girls around the world.
Malala Yousafzai Awards
Malala Yousafzai received numerous honors and awards for her activism, such as the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014, the Sakharov Prize, the International Children’s Peace Prize, the Simone de Beauvoir Prize, and the United Nations Messenger of Peace. She also became the youngest person to receive honorary Canadian citizenship, and the youngest person to appear on the cover of Time magazine.
Malala Yousafzai Personal Life
Malala Yousafzai married Asser Malik, a cricket player from Pakistan, on 9 November 2021 in a small ceremony in Birmingham, England.
She announced her marriage on social media, saying: ”Today marks a precious day in my life. I married my best friend, Asser Malik. We celebrated with our families in Birmingham – and we are grateful for your well wishes.”
She also attended the 2024 Oscars with her husband, where she was a presenter for the best documentary feature award.
Malala Yousafzai Net Worth
Malala Yousafzai has an estimated net worth of $2 million as of 2024. She has earned this wealth from her activism, her books, and her investments.
Malala Yousafzai Social Media Handles
Malala Yousafzai is active on various social media platforms, where she shares her views, experiences, and achievements. Some of her social media handles are:
- Twitter: @Malala
- Instagram: @malala
- Facebook: @MalalaFund
- YouTube: Malala Fund
- LinkedIn: Malala Yousafzai
