Malala Yousafzai: Champion for Education — Passage and Quiz

Malala Yousafzai was born on July 12, 1997, in Pakistan. She grew up in a small town called Mingora in the Swat Valley. Malala loved going to school and learning new things. Her father ran a school, and he believed that girls should have the same right to education as boys.

When Malala was about 10 years old, a group called the Taliban took control of her region. The Taliban had very strict rules. One of their rules was that girls should not go to school. They closed many girls' schools and threatened families who sent their daughters to learn.

Malala and her father thought this rule was unfair. In 2009, when Malala was just 11 years old, she began writing a blog for the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation). In her blog, she wrote about what life was like under Taliban rule and why girls deserved to go to school. She used a fake name to protect herself, but she was still speaking out bravely.

As Malala continued to speak up for girls' education, she became well-known. She appeared in a documentary and gave interviews. She said, "One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world." The Taliban were angry about her speaking out against their rules.

On October 9, 2012, when Malala was 15 years old, she was riding the bus home from school. A Taliban gunman got on the bus, asked which girl was Malala, and shot her in the head. Malala was badly injured, but she survived. She was taken to a hospital in Pakistan and later transferred to England for better medical care.

The attack on Malala shocked people around the world. Many people were inspired by her courage. After recovering from her injuries, Malala continued her fight for education. She said that the attack only made her stronger and more determined.

In 2014, at age 17, Malala became the youngest person ever to win the Nobel Peace Prize. This is one of the most important awards in the world. She used the prize money to build schools and help girls get an education.

Today, Malala continues her work through the Malala Fund, which helps girls around the world go to school. She graduated from Oxford University in England in 2020. Malala shows us that young people can make a big difference in the world and stand up for what they believe in, even when it's difficult or dangerous.