Pinning Inspiration #1

Ready for a new feature?

I've been thinking on something fresh to bring you guys, and finally settled on this:

'Pinning Inspiration'.  

Pinning Inspiration will pop up every Wednesday and shall offer all manner of inspiration. Sometimes this feature will focus on craft, sometimes on an inspiring person or story, or sometimes it will showcase some awesome artwork!

Pinning Inspiration aims to provide you with things truly Pin-worthy!

This first Pinning Inspiration focuses on Malala Yousafzai, a young girl that I'm sure you've all heard about (and if you haven't, keep reading!)

Source: guardian.co.uk via Kei on Pinterest

Malala is a fifteen-year old girl from the Taliban-controlled Swat region of Pakistan--and an 'education activist'. 

She was partly educated by her father Ziauddin, who owns a school and is also an education activist. He encouraged her to speak up about her political views, even taking her to a local press club where, at the tender age of eleven said in a speech, "How dare the Taliban take away my basic right to an education?" 

Malala began to write a blog for BBC Urdu. Using a penname, she detailed life under the Taliban rule and also used it as a means to broadcast her opinions on womens rights to an education.

In January 2009, the Taliban imposed a ban on girls' education, and blew up several girls' schools. Malala's school principal requested that the girls wear their own clothes to school rather than a school uniform so they would not attract attention. Malala continued to go to school and study for her exams, hiding her textbooks beneath her clothes. She used her blog to criticise the army in not taking action sooner to protect the schools. 

Her diary ended in March 2009, after which Malala filmed a documentary for the New York Times. This documented the evacuation of her hometown, during which her family was split up. Stuck in the countryside with relatives, Malala spoke of her discontent at having no books to read. By the summer, she had a goal of becoming a politician, so that she could help her country.

Following the documentary, Malala appeared on many talk shows where she voiced her political views. In late 2009, she became the Chair of District Child Assembly Swat, a group organsied for young people to discuss child rights issues.

She continued to campaign, and in 2011 was nominated for the International Children's Peace Prize. In the same year, she won the first National Youth Peace Prize in Pakistan.

However, whilst this increased fame helped to further publicise her views, it also brought her death threats.  

But Malala refused to stop fighting for fair education for girls. 

On 9th October 2012, whilst she was taking the bus home from school, a member of the Taliban boarded and shot her in the head. She was airlifted to a military hospital where doctors operated on her wounds. She was later moved to a different hospital, and offers to treat her came from all over the world. 

Six days after the shooting, Malala's condition was stable enough for her to travel overseas for treatment. She was taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, UK, which specialises in treating injured military. 

By the 18th October, she was able to write notes in order to communicate, and was capable of standing.  She was able to see her parents and brothers by 26th October, and is said to have asked for some school books, so that she might study. 

Malala was discharged from hospital in January this year, to continue her rehabilitation at a temporary home in the UK. During her hospital stay, she received many well-wishes and has proved inspirational to many. She underwent reconstructive surgery a month after being discharged, in order to regain her hearing and have a metal plate inserted into her head. Early in March, her father stated in an interview that she is 'recovering well'.

This year, Malala has become the youngest ever nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize. This brave, resilient and inspirational girl, now a global icon for girls' rights, surely deserves to win.

What are your thoughts on Malala's work?

 Do you agree or disagree with her? 

Do you find her inspiring?