Malala's journey from near death to recovery
Peace activist Malala Yousafzai was 14 years old when she was shot in the head in an assassination attempt in the
Swat Valley of Pakistan. Yousafzai became known as an advocate for girls' schools in 2009, when she wrote for the
BBC about life in her hometown under the rule of conservative militants in the Taliban. The Pakistani army
launched military operations to drive out the Taliban in 2009, and a documentary film helped Yousafzai became
internationally famous as a chronicler of the chaos. She was nominated in 2011 for the International Children's
Peace Prize, and that same year won Pakistan's first National Youth Peace Prize (now called the National Malala
Peace Prize). While on a bus from school on 9 October 2012, Yousafzai and three other girls were wounded by
two gunmen. The Taliban claimed credit for the shooting and vowed to kill Yousafzai for encouraging western
ideas, specifically the education of women. Malala Yousafzai was seriously wounded in the head and neck and
airlifted to a British hospital for safety reasons and for specialized treatment.
Malala passion for politics and girls rights to education was initially inspired by her father when she witnessed the
actions of her him putting his life on the line for a cause he believed in. This experience changed history and
Malala's dream of one of becoming a doctor to become a politician, and fighting for the rights of girls and access
to schools and education in Pakistan.
From the age of nine years old Malala was blogging to the BBC under the alias "Gul Mukai" telling real life encounters
of the oppression from the ruling Taliban. By eleven years old she founded a foundation to help poor women obtain
education. By fourteen years old she was heading school rallies and events for girls rights to education and received awards
such awards as the International Children's Peace Prize, National Youth Peace Prize, and the Game changers 2011
Award in addition to holding national media speeches and support for her crusade.
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