Born on July 12, 1997, in Mingora, Swat Valley, Pakistan, Malala Yousafzai grew up as a dedicated education activist. As the daughter of activist and educator Ziauddin Yousafzai, and mother Toorpekai Yousafzai, she was destined for greatness. Malala's name means 'grief-stricken,' a striking contrast to her massive achievements. An asteroid is named after her, and she is the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.
Malala became an activist against the Taliban in Pakistan at an early age. She delivered her first speech in 2008 in Peshawar, protesting against school closures. She continued her activism in 2009, writing a blog for the BBC under the pen name Gul Makai, detailing her life under Taliban rule. This exposure led to her focusing a documentary by The New York Times and receiving Pakistan's first national peace prize.
Tragedy struck in October 2012 when Malala was targeted by the Taliban. On her way home from school, she was shot in the head in an assassination attempt. Although injured severely, she persevered. After undergoing surgery, she was transferred to England for further treatment. In March 2013, she resumed her education at Edgbaston High School for Girls in Birmingham.
Malala quickly became an international figure, dedicating herself to fighting for educational rights. In 2013, she established the Malala Fund, addressed the United Nations, and received numerous awards. Her autobiography, 'I Am Malala,' was published in October of that year.
Throughout her activism, Malala has faced adversity with courage. In 2014, she called on the Boko Haram militants to stop misusing Islam's name. Even when attackers received life sentences, Malala's relentlessness never ceased, eventually culminating in her Nobel Peace Prize win.
Malala's advocacy earned her numerous honors, including an honorary Canadian citizenship and UN Messenger of Peace designation. In 2017, she began studying at the University of Oxford and published another book, 'We Are Displaced,' in 2019. She completed her degree in 2020.
In 2021, Apple announced a partnership with Malala to create original programming for AppleTV+ through her production company, Extracurricular. She appeared on the July cover of British Vogue, discussing her faith, Twitter activism, and partnership with AppleTV+.
