Malala Yousafai

Born on July 12, 1997, in Mingora, Pakistan, Malala Yousafai was supported by her parents, who believed in the importance of education for both men and women. Malala’s father was a teacher and a director at a school for girls. For many years Malala attended school and excelled at her studies without interruption. It wasn’t until the Taliban took over her town in Swat Valley and as extremists, banned many things including a female's right to her education. In 2012, Malala spoke out publicly about a woman’s right to education- making her a target for the Taliban. In October 2012, on her way home from school, a gunman walked onto her school bus and asked, “Who is Malala?” When she stood, she was shot in the left side of her head. Ten days later, Malala woke up in a hospital in England- where the nurses and doctors informed her that people around the world were praying for her recovery.

After months of surgeries and rehabilitation, she proved resilience by miraculously making a full recovery. In her new home in the UK Malala started the Malala Fund, a charity dedicated to allowing young girls around the world to choose their futures. 

Malala is the successful author of her biography, I am Malala, and the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. Since publication, Malala has continued to speak out regarding the importance of women’s access to education. She earned a bachelor's degree in Economics, Philosophy, and Politics from the University of Oxford in 2020.