Malala Yousafzai

Hello, my name is Malala. A long time ago, on July 12th, 1997, I was born in a beautiful place called Swat Valley in Pakistan. My home had tall, tall mountains and green fields where I loved to play. I lived with my family, and my father was a wonderful teacher. He taught me that girls are just as clever and strong as boys. He even built a school, and I loved it so much. Going to school was my favorite thing to do. I loved my books, my pencils, and my friends. Learning new things felt like a happy adventure every single day. I dreamed of reading every book in the world and becoming a doctor or a teacher when I grew up. School was my happy, happy place, and I wished every child could go.

One day, some people said that girls could not go to school anymore. This made my heart feel very sad. I missed my classroom and my friends. I knew in my heart that this was not fair. I believed that every single child, both boys and girls, deserves to learn and dream big dreams. So, I decided to be brave and use my voice. I told everyone who would listen how important school is for all children. Some people did not like me speaking up, and I was hurt very badly. But so many kind people from all over the world helped me get better. When I was strong again, I used my voice even louder than before. I even received a special award called the Nobel Peace Prize for my work. Always remember that no matter how small you are, your voice is powerful and can help make the world a better place.