Malala Yousafzai

"The important thing to note is that it is not important whether Malala was shot or not - Malala is not asking for personal favors or support. She is asking for support with girls' education and women's rights. So don't support Malala, support her campaign for girls' education and women's rights" (Yousafzai 'The Day'). Malala Yousafzai refused to suppress her dreams and to silence her voice. A voice crying and fighting for the equality for her sisters around the world that do not receive the promise of an education.For providing others the simple drop of hope of an educated life, she was shot point blank by a control seeking extremist group known as the Taliban. Malala was shot unmercifully for pushing for something many other children take for granted. Millions of people prayed for her recovery by coming together and standing beside her together. Slowly Malala emerged from her wounds and opposed the Taliban by once again using her most valuable treasures, her words. Malala loves her home country, Pakistan, and it pains her to stay away from it. She understands that if she wants to achieve her dreams that she must part with her country and travel around the world. She looks up to many activists such as Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi but her greatest idols are her loving parents. Her family sacrificed many things to support Malala and her quest to protect the rights of woman. Inspiring humanity can not be done without dedication and trouble. Inspiration comes from achieving something remarkable or overcoming something awful. In Malala's case, she did both. Malala Yousafzai does not let her age cap her ability to strive for her iconic goals on education; she inspires the world by fighting for her dreams with selflessness, fearlessness, and determination.

Malala's boldness was proven when she confidently spoke up for the young woman who deserve the common right of education. After being recognized by the world for being the "bravest girl in the world" Malala Yousafzai was invited to deliver a speech to the UN on her birthday otherwise known as Malala Day. During that empowering speech she said, "The terrorists thought they would change my aims and stop my ambitions. But nothing changed in my life except this: weakness, fear and hopelessness died. Strength, power and courage was born" (Yousafzai 'Our Books'). Malala looked death right in the eyes but refused to quite. Malala does not fear others anymore because her determination blinded her to that emotion. In her eyes her personal safety is now a luxury. She did not allow anything to make her a victim. Instead she overcame her tragedies and utilized all her emotions to benefit others. Her fearlessness was born from her ambitions. Even after miraculously surviving a bullet to head, Malala continued to fight despite knowing that she is still being targeted by the Taliban: "I don't know why, but hearing I was being targeted did not worry me. It seemed to me that everybody knows they will die someday"(Yousafzai 'The Day'). The definition of fearless is bold and brave. Malala's boldness was proven when she confidently spoke up for the young women who deserve the right of education. Her braveness was displayed when she continued to fight even when told she was targeted to be murdered. Her actions that demand a peaceful, educated world show children and adults what fearlessness truly means.

Malala's will to help others and stand up for the rights of others proves her selflessness and that love for people. A few weeks after struggling in the hospital Malala got to see the long term effects the shooting had on her face and appearance. "A few days later, I asked for a mirror. 'Mirror,' I wrote in the pink diary - I wanted to see my face and hair. The nurses brought me a small white mirror, which I still have. When I saw myself, I was distraught. My long hair, which I used to spend ages styling, had gone, and the left side of my head had none at all... My face was distorted like someone had pulled it down on one side, and there was a scar to the side of my left eye. 'Who did this to me?' I wrote, my letters still scrambled. 'What happened to me?' ... 'Something bad happened to you," said Dr. Fiona... "Was my father shot?' I wrote" (Yousafzai 'The Day'). Even when Malala saw that she all her hair had been chopped off and her face had been scared, she still only thought about her father, not herself. Unlike most girls her age is able to look past her personal pains. Instead she worries about her father and his well-being because of her selflessness. On Malala Day, Malala told the UN: "Thousands of people have been killed by the terrorists and millions have been injured. I am just one of them. So here I stand. So here I stand, one girl, among many. I speak not for myself, but so those without a voice can be heard. Those who have fought for their rights. Their right to live in peace. Their right to be treated with dignity. Their right to equality of opportunity. Their right to be educated" (Yousafzai 'Our Books'). Malala was targeted for assassination because she believed that every child should rightfully receive a chance to educate themselves. She was punished for speaking up but survived and heroically continued to fight for her belief. Even when told that she is still the target of the Taliban, Malala pursued to fight for others. To be selfless means to have little concern to oneself, and Malala is the perfect example of selflessness. Selflessness is a key characteristic that determines whether or not one is a hero. Malala displays this quality in every action she makes and every word she speaks.

Not even the vicious stopped determined, ambitious Malala from saying what was on her brilliant mind. At the UN meeting Malala said, "I am the same Malala. My ambitions are the same. My hopes are the same. And my dreams are the same. Dear sisters and brothers, I am not against anyone. Neither am I here to speak in terms of personal revenge against the Taliban or any other terrorist group. I am here to speak for the right of education for every child. I want education for the sons and daughters of the Taliban and all the terrorists and extremists" (Yousafzai 'The Day'). Malala has a clear vision. She has a dream that everyone has the basic right to an education. Her main purpose is to achieve that dream. In order to do that she must move on from the past and look into the future. To move on, she understands that she must be forgive how the Taliban treated her and spread that she has so much of. The main reason she is able to do all this is because of the determination she has to make her vision a reality so that other girls do not have to suffer like she did. "Her recovery, at times, has been painful... initially alone in the hospital in Birmingham without her family, Malala recalls the moment, 10 days after she'd arrived, that she opened her eyes to see her parents. 'I cried from deep inside,' she says now. 'You can say everything in your tears'"(Dennis). She jokes about her pain because she does not want pity. She only wants to get better and help the children that need it the most. The Taliban thought that the shooting Malala would silence her and scare the people around her, but the they thought wrong. The Taliban did not know of how determined Malala was and is to fight for the right of education. The troubles that Malala had to face and persevere through only made her stronger. Her determination turned the heads of others convincing them to help her make a difference in the world and stand up for what is right.

Malala Yousafzai is an iconic figure who more than deserves her own day. Her selflessness, fearlessness, and determination mold her into a true hero in everyone's eyes. Malala once stated, "I felt nothing, maybe just a bit satisfied. 'So they did it.' My only regret was that I hadn't had a chance to speak to them before they shot me. Now they'd never hear what I had to say. I didn't even think a single bad thought about the man who shot me - I had no thoughts of revenge - I just wanted to go back to Swat. I wanted to go home"(Yousafzai 28). Inspiration is drawn from respect. Malala's morals draw others to respect her. People are now inspired to respect others regardless of their background. The reason many people are inspired by her is because of how humble and peaceful she is. Malala's heartbreaking story touched not just my heart but my soul as well. The power in her words inspired me to use mine for not just my gain, but for the ones who need it the most. I vowed to help young woman around my community and around the world. Malala approaches violence with a pen and paper, and she faces hate with knowledge and respect. She dreams of one day being the prime minister of Pakistan so she can spread her love and make a change in the lives of many women. Malala's fiery ambition is what makes her "The Bravest Girl in the World."