Author Biography By: Amanda Bortz
At age 17 Malala Yousafzai has gone through so much adversity. She has seen horrors, has gone through horrors, but she has also fought for the right for an education. She has accomplished so much for some one so young.
Malala was born in Swat Valley located in Mingora, Pakistan. She grew up with her mother, father, and two younger brothers. With her father being a principle of a school she started learning right away in her life. Just like her father she excelled in academics and valuing education. She started fighting for that very right of education when she was 11 years old with her first speech "How dare the Taliban take away my basic right to education?" But for all her fight it did not stop the Taliban on January 15, 2009 from blowing up schools and putting into 'law' that no girls can go to school. But Malala does not give up hope. On February 21, 2009 the local Taliban lifted the law, but the condition was that all girls had to wear burquas. That does not settle things in Swat, on May 1, 2009, Malala had to leave her home because of the second battle between the Pakistani army and the Taliban that occurs in Swat. Malalas' family gets separated at this time and Malala goes and stays with various family members. On July 24, 2009, the Prime Minister announces the people of Swat Valley that it is safe to return to their homes in Swat. Unfortunately when Malalas' family and other families go back they find that the battle and the Taliban tore apart their valley. "We also heard that many homes had been looted. We found that the building opposite the girls' school had been hit by a missile" (Yousafzai 190-191). Fortunately with the help of the government the people slowly but surely started rebuilding their valley. At age 13 Malala is nominated and wins the International Children's Peace Prize of Kids Rights Foundation. With all the attention of the international public, Malala does get the attention of he Taliban. On October 9, 2012, a Taliban gunman shoots Malala and wounds two other girls while on their way home from school. But Malala is a fighter. She lives through the attack from the Taliban, even more than before she becomes an inspiration to people around the world. On October 15, 2012, UN Special Envoy for Global Education Gordon Brown, starts a petition for children's educations, saying every child should be able to go to school by 2015. The petition is called "I am Malala." On July 12, 2013, Malalas' birthday or now called Malala Day, Malala gave her first public speech since the shooting. Her speech was called "Our books and our pens are the most powerful weapons." On September 9, 2013, Malala was nominated for the Nobel Peace prize, but she did not win. But then on October 10, 2014, Malala won the Nobel Peace Prize, it was awarded to her for her struggle against suppression and her fight for the right of education.
Malala was born in Swat Valley located in Mingora, Pakistan. She grew up with her mother, father, and two younger brothers. With her father being a principle of a school she started learning right away in her life. Just like her father she excelled in academics and valuing education. She started fighting for that very right of education when she was 11 years old with her first speech "How dare the Taliban take away my basic right to education?" But for all her fight it did not stop the Taliban on January 15, 2009 from blowing up schools and putting into 'law' that no girls can go to school. But Malala does not give up hope. On February 21, 2009 the local Taliban lifted the law, but the condition was that all girls had to wear burquas. That does not settle things in Swat, on May 1, 2009, Malala had to leave her home because of the second battle between the Pakistani army and the Taliban that occurs in Swat. Malalas' family gets separated at this time and Malala goes and stays with various family members. On July 24, 2009, the Prime Minister announces the people of Swat Valley that it is safe to return to their homes in Swat. Unfortunately when Malalas' family and other families go back they find that the battle and the Taliban tore apart their valley. "We also heard that many homes had been looted. We found that the building opposite the girls' school had been hit by a missile" (Yousafzai 190-191). Fortunately with the help of the government the people slowly but surely started rebuilding their valley. At age 13 Malala is nominated and wins the International Children's Peace Prize of Kids Rights Foundation. With all the attention of the international public, Malala does get the attention of he Taliban. On October 9, 2012, a Taliban gunman shoots Malala and wounds two other girls while on their way home from school. But Malala is a fighter. She lives through the attack from the Taliban, even more than before she becomes an inspiration to people around the world. On October 15, 2012, UN Special Envoy for Global Education Gordon Brown, starts a petition for children's educations, saying every child should be able to go to school by 2015. The petition is called "I am Malala." On July 12, 2013, Malalas' birthday or now called Malala Day, Malala gave her first public speech since the shooting. Her speech was called "Our books and our pens are the most powerful weapons." On September 9, 2013, Malala was nominated for the Nobel Peace prize, but she did not win. But then on October 10, 2014, Malala won the Nobel Peace Prize, it was awarded to her for her struggle against suppression and her fight for the right of education.
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