I am Malala
Malala Yousafzai is an incredible inspiration and icon for many people around the world. She has been one of the most impactful girl heroines to me. I have read all her books, “I am Malala” the young adult and adult versions, and “We are Displaced.” Seeing a young woman who cares so deeply about girls’ education share her story through intelligent and passionate writing is incredibly inspiring. Malala’s insight and courage is very impactful to girls. It is challenging to describe the book in one word because it encompasses such depth. I think Malala shows immense hope, power, and inspiration and this is felt at the heart of all her books.
Malala’s hometown in Swat was once beautiful and peaceful. As she grew up, the influence of the Taliban started to overrun Swat. This created much oppression, especially of girls and women who were stopped from attending school or leaving their homes. Malala wrote, “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” (pg. 95). In this way, women are infinitely more powerful than men. She said they were fearful of girls receiving education because then they would have more power to create change. At the age of 11, Malala and all the girls in Swat were forced to stop attending school. Malala wanted to start a secret school at her home. During this time, she was campaigning for girls’ education rights through journalism. She was inspired by Anne Frank who wrote her diary in huge adversity with a voice that is so truthful, thoughtful, and courageous (pg. 129-130).
When the girls weren’t allowed to go to school, journalists wanted to talk with girls in Swat about the reality of what they were experiencing. Malala wrote, “They want to interview a small girl, but the girls are scared, and even if they’re not, their parents won’t allow it. I have a father who isn’t scared, who stands by me. He said, ‘You are a child and it’s your right to speak’” (pg. 117). This is when Malala started to write under her pen name Gul Makai. Her writing at the age of 11 and now is very powerful, she is able to reach across the world with her words of truth and passion. She said “I began to see that the pen and the words that come from it can be much more powerful than machine guns, tanks or helicopters… and we were learning how powerful we are when we speak.” (pg. 131).
Girls around the world are still not given equal access to education, and are often not educated with the same quality boys receive. The world still needs much action around girls receiving good education. In the documentary “Period. End of Sentence,” they also talk about the importance of girls being educated around menstruation. In a patriarchal world, there is not enough healthy conversation for girls around menstruation. Girls and women are intelligent, creative, and powerful, with so much potential. We see in the film how when the women in the village are given the right resources they can thrive and create change in their community with their pad business. Malala wrote “Going to school, reading and doing our homework wasn’t just a way of passing time, it was our future” (pg. 121-122). If all girls were educated the world would be a very different place. Girls would have more opportunities for their future and therefore, more freedom. Malala showed such courage and strength, advocating for girls’ education during huge external oppression and fear. Her voice is so important and it shows how powerful and impactful girls’ voices are. With education girls can share their voice in larger ways and have greater impact in the world.
Malala portrays such immense courage in the midst of an extremely hostile environment. She wrote about a conversation between her and her father, “‘At night our fear is strong, Jani,’ he told me, ‘but in the morning, in the light, we find our courage again.’ And this is true for my family. We were scared, but our fear was not as strong as our courage” (pg. 114). Malala understood that speaking about these issues and calling for change would create a difference. She wrote, “If one man can destroy everything, why can’t one girl change it?” (pg. 117). She believes and demonstrates that it is through education that girls are able to change the world.
Malala was named after Malalai of Maiwand, who she writes is a Pashtun Joan of Arc (pg. 10). Malala said Malalai “had strength and power equal to hundreds and thousands of brave men because her few lines of poetry changed everything” (pg. 152). Malala herself is a modern Joan of Arc, and Girl Warrior whose voice has “changed everything” through advocating for girls’ rights and education. Since writing this book she is the youngest person to win a Nobel Peace Prize. She started the Malala fund which works to create change and opportunities for all girls to have an education. She has written “We are Displaced” which shares her own story of being forced to leave her home, as well as other girls’ stories from different countries. She continues to be an advocate for girls and calls for action. At the end of her book she writes, “I am Malala. My world has changed but I have not” (pg. 265). Her voice is so important in this world, and she inspires many girls to share their voices too.
Portait of Malala Yousafzai by Brigette Lacombe.