Malala Yousafzai - Educational Activist (Women who changed the world series)

Woman Who Changed the World: Malala Yousafzai

In this episode of "Check This Out," hosts Amy Contreras and Cece embark on an inspiring exploration of Malala Yousafzai, a young woman who has made a significant impact on the world advocating for girls' education. 

Listeners will learn about Malala's remarkable journey, starting from her childhood in Mingora, Pakistan, where her father’s support for education nurtured her love for learning. At just 10 years old, her life took a dramatic turn when the Taliban seized control of her town, enforcing strict laws against girls’ education. 

The episode recounts the pivotal moment in October 2012 when Malala was shot by Taliban members but survived, emerging as a powerful voice for education rights. At 17, she became the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, and the episode highlights her continued activism through the Malala Fund, which supports education for girls worldwide.

Listeners are engaged with a fun quiz on Malala’s life and achievements, reinforcing key facts about her journey. The episode concludes with a heartfelt poem dedicated to Malala, celebrating her courage and ongoing contributions to education.

Join Amy and Cece for an inspiring look into how one girl’s bravery inspired a global movement for change. Don’t forget to subscribe for more stories of remarkable women!

Transcript

Welcome to Check this out, podcast for kids 

And their grownups where we explore people, places, ponderings and past moments from history that shape the world around us.  My name is Amy Contreras, and I’m Cece.  

Today we are continuing our series on 

Cece: Women Who Changed the World 

In today’s episode you’re going to learn all about Who is Malala Yousafzai and why she is a woman who changed the world. 

Cece: Let’s get started 

I love the energy Cece.  Malala is cool to talk about because she is still alive today… and young! She’s only 27 years old. So when you learn her story and how much she’s already accomplished this is only the beginning.  

Cece: That is cool

Malala is the youngest person ever to win a nobel peace prize.  She won for her struggle to ensure the right of all children to education.  If you learn nothing else today, know that she bravely stood up for education against incredible odds.  

Cece: That is important 

It is!  And before we get into her story, I’ll share a quote with you by Malala. She has said “I tell my story not because it is unique, but because it is the story of many girls.”

Cece: What does that mean? 

I’ll explain as I tell you her story.  But first 

Cece: Listeners keep your ears open.  

Because at the end of the episode I”ll recap 3 facts about Malala that you can check out more about at the end of the episode!  See if you can guess which facts we will highlight at the end.  

Cece: I’m excited

Malala was born in 1997 in Mingora, Pakistan.  Mingora is a city in the Swat Valley of Pakistan.   She is the oldest of 3 kids in her family. Malala’s father was a teacher and he was a big supporter of education.  He even helped run a girls’ school in their village.  In Pakistan some people didn’t and still don’t believe that girls should get access to education.  

Cece: Why mama? 

Around the world people have different reasons for not wanting women to get educated.  So it is hard to give a simple answer to that question.  But most often people want to stop other people from being able to read and be educated because when people aren’t educated they are dependent on people around them.  And if girls can’t read and learn for themselves it limits their opportunities.  

Cece: But I love learning! 

I’m glad, so did Malala.  Malala loved going to school and believed that every child should have the right to learn, especially girls, because they weren’t always provided with the same opportunities as boys in Pakistan.  Her dad being a teacher and an advocate of girls education helped grow her love of learning.  

When Malala was little there are stories of her being as little as 2.5 and going into her dad’s classroom with 10 year olds.    

Cece: She sounds really smart.  

She is! When she was young Malala was a star student, and she especially loved reading.  

In 2008 when malala was just 10 years old everything changed when the Taliban took control of her town in Swat Valley.

Check this out

Do you know what the Taliban is? 

Cece: No

Here is a helpful overview from Encyclopedia Britanica for kids “The Taliban is a religious and political group that came to power in Afghanistan in the mid-1990s. The Taliban is known for enforcing strict Islamic law and for its support of terrorism. Most world governments did not recognize the Taliban as the ruling regime of Afghanistan. Outside countries largely disapproved of the Taliban’s interpretation of Islamic law. These laws did not allow girls and women to go to school or work, and the punishments for crimes were very severe.

Cece: Good to know 

When the Taliban took over Malala’s hometown the Taliban extremists banned many things that Malala and her family and community had previously been able to do.  Things like owning a television and playing music and even dancing were no longer allowed.  The Taliban enforced harsh, often violent punishments for those who didn’t listen to their orders. One of the other changes the Taliban made when they took power was they said girls could no longer go to school.

Cece: Thats terrible! 

The Taliban actually burned or destroyed over 400 schools by the end of 2008.  

Although the changes from the Taliban were scary Malala was passionate about learning and she decided to find a way to stand up to the taliban.  In 2009 she started writing an anonymous or secret blog for the BBC (British Broadcasting Channel) that didn’t reveal her identity.  In her blog she described life under Taliban rule.    Between 2009 and 2012 Malala, with the help of her dad, spoke out against the Taliban in Pakistan and questioned their motivations to keep education from women and girls.  

Cece: She sounds really brave 

You have no idea Cece. Just wait until I tell you what happened in October of 2012.  But first, its important to know that Malala and her dad were making their voices heard across pakistan and the world in their fight for free, accessible education for girls and women.  She even spoke on TV.  When Malala was 11 years old, the same age as some of our listeners, she gave a speech called “How Dare the Taliban Take Away My Basic Right to Education?” in September of 2008. 

Cece: Wow 

Yea.  Malala’s identity was revealed from her blog and she used her growing platform to advocate with her father for girls education.  In 2011 Malala was nominated for the International Children’s Peace Prize because of her activism and outspoken stance against the taliban.

Cece: Did she win? 

She didn’t win that one, but in 2011 she was awarded Pakistan’s National Youth Peace Prize.

Cece: Thats a big deal! 

And those were just the first of the awards she’d eventually win.  But these awards also made her a target and the Taliban issued a death threat against her and her father.  

Cece: Uh oh 

In 2012 Malala’s world changed and she rose to international awareness.  On October 9th, 2012 Malala was shot in the head by the Taliban on a bus.  

Cece: WHAT?! 

Now you all know Malala is alive today, and is healthy and thriving because i told you at the beginning she is 27 today.  Malala survived the gunshot.  

Cece: How?!

Malala was on a bus home from school with her friends when 2 masked members of the taliban stopped the bus.  They boarded the bus and asked “Who is Malala” her friends didn’t mean to but they looked at her and it gave away who she was.  The taliban shot her in the shoulder and the head.  

Cece: Oh my goodness 

Yea, she was in bad shape.  She had to get airlifted to a Pakistani military hospital and a few days later she was moved to an intensive care unit in England. She woke up 10 days after the shooting.  She had to go through multiple surgeries to recover from the attack.  

Cece: Things were not easy 

No, she had a long and hard recovery process and had to go through surgeries and fight hard to recover.  The Taliban tried to silence her, but by surviving the shooting her voice became even louder for education! When she was 17 Malala became the youngest person to win the Nobel Peace Prize. She won the award in 2014.  

Cece: what an amazing story 

Yea! The nobel peace prize is one of the greatest honors and awards in the world.  Other people we’ve talked about on the podcast have received it like Martin Luther King Jr, and Wangari Maathai.  

Nine months after she was shot by the Taliban and underwent lots of surgeries to recover, she gave a speech at the United Nations on July 12, 2013— it was her 16th birthday. It was her first time speaking in public since the attack. She spoke about education and women’s rights.  And the United Nations declared July 12th Malala day.  

Cece: Thats cool! 

In 2013 Malala published her Autobiography called “I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban.”

Malala and her father also launched a non profit called the Malala fund which supports girls education 

Cece: I want to check out more about that!  

You should! If you want to learn more about Malala and her fight for education equality some fun ways to learn more are to watch the documentary about her that is available for streaming on peacock.  You can also read the time magazine articles about her from the 100 most influential people in the world features.  

The Malala fund has been able to open girls schools around the world.  As of today the fund has invested more than $47million into girls education around the world.  

Cece: Thats a big number! 

Malala ended up going to college at Oxford university in england and officially graduated in 2021.  She technically finished in 2020 but her graduation was postponed due to COVID.  

Cece: That makes sense.  

Malala continues to advocate for girls education and has built a wonderful life.  She got married, produced a documentary that was nominated for an oscar, continues writing books and raising awareness for education around the world.  Her story is only beginning.  

Cece: What an amazing story. 

I agree! 

Now we promised we’d recap 3 facts about malala at the end for people to remember.  But I think this time we will do it as a little quiz, what do you think Cece? 

Cece: That sounds fun! 

At what age did Malala Yousafzai win the Nobel Peace Prize?

A) 15

B) 17

C) 18

If you guessed B you’re right.  Malala won the 2014 Nobel Peace prize when she was 17 years old, making her the youngest ever recipient of the award.  

In which country was Malala born?

A) Afghanistan

B) India

C) Pakistan

If you said C that was a great answer! Malala was born in Pakistan in 1997.  

What major event happened to Malala on October 9, 2012?

A) She gave a speech at the United Nations

B) She was shot by the Taliban

C) She published her autobiography

If you said B that is right.  She was shot by the Taliban on her bus home from school but survived.  

What is the name of the nonprofit organization Malala co-founded to support girls' education?

A) Girl Up

B) Global Education Fund

C) Malala Fund

If you said C, Malala Fund, you’re correct!  

What was significant about the day Malala gave her speech at the United Nations?

1. It was Malala’s 16th Birthday  
2. It was International Education Day
3. It was Women’s history day 

If you guessed A that was a great guess! When Malala spoke to the United Nations 9 months after she was shot she spoke to them on July 12th, her 16th birthday.  

Great work everyone!  

Now before we wrap up we have one more thing! 

Cece: We wrote you a poem 

She was only eleven when brave Malala took a stand,
For girls’ education, her voice was her brand.
Though danger loomed near, she didn’t shy away from the fight
With courage and strength, she called on those who might,

Stand for girls against ones who tried to keep them small 

Malala believed in education for all 

Though shot by the Taliban, her spirit still soared,
A Nobel at seventeen, her efforts adored.
With the Malala Fund, she brings schools and pens,
Education is worth fighting for to the end.  

We hope you enjoyed this episode on Woman who changed the world Malala Youfsafzai 

At the “check this out” we know it can be hard to know if information you find online is accurate!  We use verified sources to build the stories you hear about. 

Cece Our sources for this week's episode are 

Nobel Peace Prize.Org, Malala.org, The national women’s history museum, Biography.com, and Time Magazine 

Cece Thanks for listening See you next episode don’t forget to subscribe  

https://malala.org/malalas-story 

https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/2014/yousafzai/facts/ 

https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/malala-yousafzai

https://www.biography.com/activists/malala-yousafzai

https://poy.time.com/2012/12/19/runner-up-malala-yousafzai-the-fighter/