The Badge Archive

Famous Women – Malala Yousafzai

Fulfills Step 1 of GSUSA Daisy Petal – Courageous and Strong badge requirements. (See VTK Malala Yousafzai by GSUSA)

When Malala Yousafzai was just 11 years old, she began speaking out for girls’ education in her home region of Swat Valley, Pakistan, where the Taliban had banned girls from attending school. Malala wrote a blog for the BBC under a pseudonym, sharing her experiences and advocating for education.

Her bravery made her a target, and at age 15, she was shot by a Taliban gunman while riding a school bus. Despite the attack, Malala survived and continued her fight for education.

Malala became an international symbol of courage and resilience. She co-founded the Malala Fund to promote education for girls worldwide and wrote a bestselling memoir, I Am Malala. In 2014, at just 17 years old, Malala became the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to ensure every child has access to education. Today, Malala continues her advocacy work, inspiring millions with her unwavering commitment to education and equality.

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“Malala Yousafzai is courageous and strong. She was only 11 and still stood up for what is right. Even getting shot did not stop her from continuing to fight for the right to get her education and help others too.” – Scout K, GSSJC, Juliette

Timeline

  • 1997 – Born July 12 in Mingora, Swat valley, Pakistan. Malala Yousafzai was named after Malalai, an Afghan heroine who inspired victory in the 1880 Battle of Maiwand.
  • 2007 – The TTP invaded Swat Valley, enforcing strict Islamic law and targeting girls’ schools. Malala Yousafzai’s family fled but later returned when violence lessened.
  • 2008 – 11-year-old Malala Yousafzai delivered her first public speech, “How Dare the Taliban Take Away My Basic Right to Education?” at a press club in Peshawar, gaining nationwide attention on September 1st.
  • Jan 2009 – TTP announced that all girls’ schools in Swat would be shut down on January 15th. From January to March, Malala Yousafzai wrote 35 entries for BBC Urdu under the pseudonym Gul Makai, sharing her daily life and experiences, which were later translated into English.
  • Feb 2009 – Malala Yousafzai appeared on TV for the first time, urging for girls’ education amidst ongoing conflict. Malala Yousafzai collaborated with journalist Adam Ellick on two documentaries about her fight for education, both shared by The New York Times.
  • May 2009 – Malala’s family temporarily fled Swat due to resurging violence.
  • Summer 2009 – Malala Yousafzai met U.S. envoy Richard Holbrooke, seeking support for girls’ education in Pakistan.
  • Dec 2009 – Malala Yousafzai was revealed as the BBC’s young blogger, gaining widespread recognition for her activism.
  • 2011 – Malala Yousafzai was nominated for the International Children’s Peace Prize and awarded Pakistan’s first National Youth Peace Prize in October.
  • Oct 2012 – Malala Yousafzai survived being shot in the head by a TTP gunman while she was en route home from school on October 9th. Her recovery and activism inspired global support, leading to Pakistan’s first Right to Education bill.
  • Dec 2012 – Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari launched a $10 million education fund in Malala Yousafzai’s honor, and the Malala Fund was established to support girls’ education globally.
  • 2013 – Malala Yousafzai gave her first public speech since being shot, addressing the UN on her 16th birthday, July 12. That year, she won the United Nations Human Rights Prize, was named one of Time’s most influential people, and coauthored her memoir I Am Malala.
  • 2014 – Malala Yousafzai won the Liberty Medal and became the youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Malala Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi received the Nobel Peace Prize together for their dedication to advocating for children’s rights.
  • 2015 – Malala Yousafzai opened a girls’ school in Lebanon for Syrian refugee girls with support from the Malala Fund in July.
  • 2017 – Malala Yousafzai wrote the picture book Malala’s Magic Pencil, which was based on her childhood. 
  • 2019 – Malala Yousafzai highlighted her work with refugees and her own displacement in We Are Displaced.
  • 2020 – Malala Yousafzai graduated from the University of Oxford and continued advocating for human rights globally.

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References

Blumberg, Naomi. “Malala Yousafzai.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Nov. 2024, http://www.britannica.com/biography/Malala-Yousafzai. Accessed 29 Mar. 2025.

VTK Malala Yousafzai by GSUSA

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Tia Kennard