On the 12th of July, I heard her speak and I was overwhelmed by her passion. That day when she spoke, I realized how genuine she was about the cause she believed in. Even being pushed towards the threshold of death failed to dissuade her as she declared weakness, fear and hopelessness in her died while strength, power and courage were born when she was attacked as she fought for a cause she believed in!
I know I can’t call her a woman yet, she is so young, all of 16, a child. But I do know that in a few years from now she is going to be one of the most talked about women in the world. She already is a figure to look up to, an inspiration to millions. She is one with a vision, Malala Yousafzai - A truly inspirational girl!
A few years back when she was all of 11 or 12, she wrote a blog for the BBC under a pseudonym describing her life in the Swat Valley plagued by Taliban. While she could have accepted her fate like many unfortunate others, she chose not to! At a time when the Taliban has banned girls from attending school, her voice resonated from that very valley advocating education for girls.
Her voice was beginning to be heard. But that worried the Talibs who, giving yet another example of their debauchery shot her while she was returning from school. But she survived and why wouldn’t she? Her voice was not only hers but that of millions of women muted in the name of religion or on some other ridiculous pretext!
Step into the shoes of girls like her for a moment and think. Going to school which we take for granted is considered a crime in places like the Swat Valley, even termed sacrilege! The girls need to give up their basic rights and freedom. There are places in this very world where women are even forbidden to drive or talk to any man apart from their husbands. They are beaten black and blue, even killed if they take a step which doesn’t conform to the rules imposed by religious fanatics. Scary isn’t it? Even the thought of being in their shoes gives us Goosebumps.
It was scary for Malala too. She could have stopped when threatened and almost killed. But she didn’t. Isn’t that something worth emulating? If she could fight against all odds, why can’t we? Doesn’t it make her a little more beautiful a soul as she lends her voice for education and for women? Shouldn’t we be a little more beautiful as well? Let us lend our voice towards issues that affect women too!
She rightly said ‘one child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world’ and I add ‘One woman, one man and one voice of change can revolutionize the society’! Let’s be that voice! Let’s absorb a little bit of Malala in us!
This post is part of 'As Beautiful As Your Work' Contest hosted by Women's Web and sponsored by 'Mia by Tanishq' - As Beautiful As Your Work.
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This post is part of 'As Beautiful As Your Work' Contest hosted by Women's Web and sponsored by 'Mia by Tanishq' - As Beautiful As Your Work.