Malala Archives - Lisa M. Frame

I have followed the story of Malala Yousafazi, the Pakistani girl targeted by the Taliban, ever since news broke that she was shot on a bus on her way from school when she was 15. Malala captured the world’s attention by standing up for what she believes. The story of her survival and triumph of being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize was covered in depth by news organizations the world over, and being covered in a documentary about her life called He Named Me Malala.

In patriarchal societies, women are expected to be obedient. A good girl should be quiet, humble, and submissive. Malala’s activism, and what made her such a high profile target as a 15-year-old, was because she used her voice in the role of advocate for others. Her father encouraged her to ask questions, demand answers, and seek the truth. As an educator, he taught all of his students that it was imperative that they all learn to think critically and stand up for what is right.

I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about the whys of what happened to Malala. Then I look at my 15-year-old son and I sit back and try to remember 15-year-old me. I wasn’t afraid. I wanted to change the world, just like my son dreams of doing now, and that Malala works so tirelessly for every day of her life. Deep respect, admiration, and overwhelming emotion I can only describe as “motherly” is how I feel about the work she is doing.

Memoirs, such as I Am Malala, are a powerful witness to history. I had the great pleasure of sitting a few feet away from holocaust survivor and Nobel Prize winner Elie Wiesel in 2010, author of Night (1955), and looking back at what I wrote about him, and the quotes I hurriedly scribbled down, I find one that I feel connects him and Malala: “I must think of those who suffer today and not about me.”

Malala suffered greatly, yet works tirelessly for others. Instead of being a now 19-year-old girl worried about typical 19-year-old girl issues, the assassination attempt on her life changed the trajectory of her life. Those changes are what cause her to work to change the lives of other girls who deserve an education.

This Monday, February 29, the National Geographic Channel will premiere He Named Me Malala commercial free at 8 p.m. EST. While I have watched He Named Me Malala at the theater, I’ll be setting my DVR to record this special showing Monday evening and encourage you to do the same thing. If you’re not sure if it’s appropriate for your kids, read this post from TechSavvy Mama: 4 Reasons for Tweens to See He Named Me Malala.

Malala hasn’t taken her survival for granted, nor the lessons her father taught her lightly. She is now a leading campaigner for girls’ education globally as co-founder of the Malala Fund. In this film, documentary filmmaker Davis Guggenheim shows how Malala, her father Zia and her family are committed to fighting for education for all girls worldwide. It’s a glimpse into her life, sharing Malala’s relationship with her father, speeches at the UN, as well as her daily life with her parents and brothers.

“It’s a combination of Ziauddin and Toor Pekai that has created this incredible girl,” the director says. “Ziauddin obviously has a close relationship with Malala. He has that wonderful quote: ‘Don’t ask me what I did. Ask me what I didn’t do. I didn’t clip her wings.’ And there’s that special moment when she’s born and he says to her, you’re equal to all the men that are on the family tree. But I also believe Toor Pekai is where Malala gets her moral strength and her faith.”

Malala’s work has is also creating change for women of different generations. Her mother, Toor Pekai, had one year of formal education and is now in school. I can’t imagine what it’s like to be entering school as an adult, but I applaud her. Education is something that can never be taken away from us. It is one of the most important things we can do, not only for ourselves, but for others.

Thoughts of Toor Pekai make me think of my mother-in-law. Raised in Korea during Japanese occupation, she is one of the most intelligent women I know. Due to the death of her parents when she was a child, exorbitant school fees which an orphan couldn’t afford, she received what is equivalent to a 6th grade education. This has caused her to push for the best education, for her and her children, with a burning passion.

I want to do more to show I’m #withMalala, but don’t know where to start.

Social media is one of the easiest ways to start using your voice to advocate for change. Visit supportmalala.com to create a custom Facebook profile video (it’s super easy!) to show your support. For every person who participates through March 10, 2016, 21st Century Fox will donate $1 to the Malala Fund. A $1 donation will also be made for every tweet using the hashtag #withMalala during this time period, for a total donation up to $50,000.

Not sure what to Tweet?

Start by encouraging your followers to join you on Monday to watch the documentary or share that for every #withMalala tweet, 21st Century Fox wil donate $1. Here are tweets that you can copy, paste, schedule, and encourage your followers to retweet!

#HeNamedMeMalala premieres commercial free on @natgeochannel 2/29 @ 8/7c! Stand #withMalala + watch with your family on.natgeo.com/1VbVWaJ

#HeNamedMeMalala premiers on @natgeochannel 2/29 at 8/7c. See it and stand #withMalala! on.natgeo.com/1VbVWaJ

Mark your calendar to stand #withMalala for girls’ ed. #HeNamedMeMalala premiering on @natgeochannel on.natgeo.com/1VbVWaJ

Like to tweet? Support girls’ ed? For every #withMalala tweet til 3/10 @21CF will donate $1 to @MalalaFund. Pls RT

I’m standing #withMalala + @21CF will donate $1 to @MalalaFund. Show girls everywhere you stand for their right to edu. Pls RT

Resources:

Are you looking for information that will help you understand Malala’s background, the documentary, and the history of the Swat Valley in Pakistan? These resources are great tools and will not only further your understanding, but will also help answer any difficult questions that might come up with your children.

He Named Me Malala Curriculum Guide— Designed for teachers, the official curriculum guide for the documentary is a free downloadable PDF that features ways to develop understanding, essential questions, notes to educators, additional resources and the standards that are being addressed through each lesson. It’s perfect for classroom teacher and homeschooling families who are studying Malala.

Education World’s Malal Yousafzai’s Courage: Student Discussion Guide — rich discussion questions that appear halfway down the page. Questions like “If you were a 16-year-old girl in Pakistan, could you have imagined doing what Malala did? What do you admire about Malala?” ask kids to put themsevels in Malala’s shoes but also dive deeper into bigger issues such as womens’ rights.

I am Malala: A Resource Guide for Educators— This guide published by The Global Women’s Institute at The George Washington University is best for high schoolers who have read the I am Malala book.

I was not compensated for this post but am receiving a house party kit for our own He Named Me Malala viewing party. All opinions are my own.

Imagine you’re 15 years old. Now imagine you’re being targeted by the Taliban for daring to speak out about the right for all girls to be educated. Malala Yousafzai was shot in the head when gunmen opened fire on her and her friends’ school bus in Pakistan’s Swat Valley. Today, on the third anniversary of the attack on Malala and her school mates, Shazia Ramzan and Kainat Riaz, the movie “He Named Me Malala” is released nationwide to the public to tell the story of Malala and her role as a leading campaigner for the rights of children worldwide.

Growing up in the United States, it’s hard for me to fathom that educating girls is an issue. How can people think that educating a woman makes her dangerous? It’s medieval thinking that makes me eternally grateful for the education I have received, and that I continue to take part in as part of my own personal growth, and it motivates me to act.

As a Global Goals Champion for the United Nations, the release of “He Named Me Malala” is in sync with Goal 4 of the 17 Goals they announced at the end of September. These goals are the focus over the next 15 years, with the UN hoping to have made significant progress in achieving them by 2030.

The lack of access to quality education, especially among the poorest and among girls, prevents millions of people from escaping the cycle of extreme poverty around the world.

3 Facts to Know:

124 million children who could be in elementary, middle, or high school aren’t in school
More than half of children who have not enrolled in school live in sub-Saharan Africa. An estimated 50% of out-of-school children of primary school age live in conflict-affected areas.
Children in the poorest households are 4 times as likely to be out of school as children in the richest households.

Malala captured the world’s attention by standing up for what she believes.

She certainly captured mine, and I have been following her story since the day her attack became news. After healing from her injuries, Malala hasn’t taken her survival for granted and is now a leading campaigner for girls’ education globally as co-founder of the Malala Fund. Documentary filmmaker Davis Guggenheim shows us how Malala, her father Zia and her family are committed to fighting for education for all girls worldwide. The film gives us a glimpse into this extraordinary young girl’s life – from her close relationship with her father who inspired her love for education, to her impassioned speeches at the UN, to her everyday life with her parents and brothers.

“It’s a combination of Ziauddin and Toor Pekai that has created this incredible girl,” the director says. “Ziauddin obviously has a close relationship with Malala. He has that wonderful quote: ‘Don’t ask me what I did. Ask me what I didn’t do. I didn’t clip her wings.’ And there’s that special moment when she’s born and he says to her, you’re equal to all the men that are on the family tree. But I also believe Toor Pekai is where Malala gets her moral strength and her faith.”

I cannot imagine how this young woman feels, or where she finds the energy to do all she does, but I can learn from her. Malala reminds us that we can all be change agents, we just have to listen to our courage and be motivated to act. Wisdom knows no age. During a recent call with Malala, the Nobel Peace Prize winner reminded me of something I have always found to be true: There are no limits to what kids can do.

Join me this weekend when I continue with part two of my “He Named Me Malala” series.

Watch the trailer for “He Named Me Malala”
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