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| Malala Yousafzai (http://freedomcenter.org/) |
Most young people wish that school would cease to exist; however, one young woman was nearly killed for wanting an education. Malala Yousafzai is an eighteen year old girl, but unlike most girls of that age, she is trying to provide proper education to groups of children almost half way around the world. Malala is a hero because at such a young age, she has already traveled the world in order to spread awareness about the lack of education for girls in some areas of the world. She was shot by the Taliban for her efforts, but she forged on, knowing that the schoolgirls of Pakistan needed a spokesperson.
Malala inherited much of her love for learning from her father, Ziauddin Yousafzai. Ziauddin was an advocate for education, and built Khushal School and College, the school that Malala attended as a child. However, as the Taliban started taking over the Swat district, where Malala lived, they started limiting girls' access to school. Malala was a natural speaker and started giving many speeches about how much she valued her education. In a way, if the Taliban had never stopped Malala from going to school, she would likely not have stood up against them. Even though Malala started out by helping only her classmates, now, she is a hero to many.
Malala Yousafzai is a hero to many because she is inspiring, selfless, perseverant, and has conviction towards her cause. In the Swat region of Pakistan, where Malala grew up, extremist groups were taking control and shutting down girls' education. But Malala understood just how much a good education can raise your chances of a good future. So instead of quietly accepting, she decided to speak up and tell everybody how she felt about her basic rights being revoked. For instance, when she was barely into her teens, she became a secret correspondent to BBC news, and provided valuable information about the conditions in the Swat region. "In 2009, when she [Malala] was 12, she started writing a blog for BBC Urdu under a pseudonym." (Malala.org) When asked why she continued with her crusade against the Taliban's actions against girls, she replied "I didn't want [my and other girls'] futures to be imprisoned within four walls, just cooking and giving birth." (BBC.com) These passages illustrate Malala's conviction by showing that she firmly believed in her ideas, even from a young age. She decided that she wanted to let people know about the problems faced by Pakistani girls, and other girls unable to get an education. Malala made sure that she achieved that goal by doing all she could to express her opinions. It wasn't all smooth sailing for Malala, though. For example, by the time Malala was fourteen, her actions had angered the Taliban so much that they issued a death threat for her. "On 9th October, 2012, Malala was shot with a. bullet that injured her face, head, neck, and shoulders." (Malala.org) Even though she now had a reason for backing down, she kept working for her cause. Her perseverance sparked support from around the globe. As Malala herself said, "I think they [The Taliban] may be regretting that they shot Malala. Now she is heard in every corner of the world" These citations reveal that Malala's persistence was a major factor in her success. By standing her ground, she was able to help others, even when she herself had already been badly injured. Malala is also shown to be selfless in these quotes, because she was willing to give up the guarantee of her safety to give other girls the education they longed for. In fact, this girl who is not yet twenty has continued to provide schools and learning resources to those who need them. Malala Yousafzai has proved that she is truly a hero to the world.
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| Malala opens a school for Syrian refugees (http://media.npr.org/ ()) |
Even though it's been barely a decade since Malala started her work, an impact can already be seen. She has been rapidly gaining support, and over two million people signed a petition to give girls the right to education in poor areas. After Malala's attack, the world has been condemning the Taliban, and working against them. Already, Malala has raised money for Syrian refugee schools, and is bringing education to girls in Africa. Though she hasn't been working long, it's clear that she has already made an imprint on the world.
Malala Yousafzai is a hero because she has helped many people, even at her young age. Malala has been proving to the world that girls are worthy of an education. She has shown the world that everyone has the right to an education, no matter their gender. Malala is just an ordinary girl, but she has extraordinary abilities, and she isn't afraid to show them--- no matter the consequences.Biography.com Editors. "Malala Yousafzai Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2015.
Page created on 10/20/2015 12:00:00 AM
Last edited 10/20/2015 12:00:00 AM
