Shero, Malala Yousafzai

A “Shero” is a “woman admired for her courage, achievements, or noble qualities”.

Once such young woman is Malala Yousafzai who defied the Taliban as a girl in Pakistan. Why? Young Malala is an advocate for women’s education. She was committed to speaking about their right to education. Tthe Taliban issued death threats against her. but Malala did not believe that the Taliban would hurt children.  Some three months later, 15 year old  Malala survived the gunshot wound to her head. The Taliban made good on their treat by shooting Malala and two other school girls.

Passionate about education, Malala began blogging for the BBC, under the alias Gul Makai, about living under the Taliban’s threats to deny them an education.  She was soon found out.

For her travails, Malala’s activism yielded awards and young Malala became the youngest person to win the Nobel Peace Prize when she published her first international bestseller book, I Am Malala.

Known as the “the pride of Pakistan”, Malala, now 21 years old, aspired to and reached great heights by educating the nations of the importance of attending school and receiving an education.  She dissuaded illiteracy, poverty and terrorism.

Malala’s father, Ziauddin Yousafzai said of Malala :
“People ask me, what special is in my mentorship which has made Malala so bold and so courageous and so vocal and poised? I tell them, don’t ask me what I did. Ask me what I did not do. I did not clip her wings, and that’s all”.

 Famous Quotes by Malala Yousafzai  :

1. “We realize the importance of our voices only when we are silenced.”
2. “One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world.”
3. “Education is education. We should learn everything and then choose which path to follow.” Education is neither Eastern nor Western, it is human.”
4. “I raise my voice not so that I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard”
5. “The extremists are afraid of books and pens, the power of education frightens them. they are afraid of women.”
6. “With guns you can kill terrorists, with education you can kill terrorism.”
7. “We human beings don’t realize how great God is. He has given us an extraordinary brain and a sensitive loving heart. He has blessed us with two lips to talk and express our feelings, two eyes which see a world of colours and beauty, two feet which walk on the road of life, two hands to work for us, and two ears to hear the words of love. As I found with my ear, no one knows how much power they have in their each and every organ until they lose one.”
8. “I told myself, Malala, you have already faced death. This is your second life. Don’t be afraid — if you are afraid, you can’t move forward.”
9. “Our men think earning money and ordering around others is where power lies. They don’t think power is in the hands of the woman who takes care of everyone all day long and gives birth to their children.”
10. “We were scared, but our fear was not as strong as our courage.”

Inspired by A.Word.A.Day with Anu Garg.
Quotes from Goodreads.