Questions From Malala
A poem based on Malala’s Life.

“Together we will be heard.”
What does that statement mean to you?

My name is Malala.
I am a 20 year old Muslim woman who was born and raised in a small town in Pakistan, named Mingora.
This has been a very difficult thing in my life.
I have lived in constant fear and so have my loved ones.
I have faced various challenges in my life so far;
including discrimination,
isolation,
and have even been a victim of a murder attempt.

“To all the girls who have faced injustice and silenced.”
Do you take your rights for granted?

In my country, little girls were not allowed to go to school.
Women were not allowed to drive or work.
Reading and writing was reserved for boys and men.
I didn't agree with this
At an early age I began to fight for the rights of females in my country to go to school.
I helped my parents run a chain of schools where learning was made available to everyone.

“The Taliban want to turn the girls of Pakistan into identical, lifeless dolls.”
Have you bled for your beliefs?
At 15, I was shot by a Taliban gunman because my family and I attempted to bring education to girls in the area where we lived.
Due to my injuries and the threats to my life I had to leave my beautiful, beloved country and move to the United States.
“My world has changed but I have not.”
Do you think the United States is the best country in the world?

I do and coming to America has always been my parents dream.
They always told me that in the U.S.
everyone is treated with
Respect
and dignity.
People are not judged by their
race,
color religion,
or sex.

“we cannot all succeed when half of us are held back.”
Why is it broken?

Although my fame has protected me from direct
discrimination,
hundreds of my peers
have told me about the endless
jokes,
stares,
inappropriate questions,
and harassment
that they live with everyday..



“If they want every person in the world to be Muslim why don’t they show themselves to be good Muslims first?”
Why is being a Muslim a bad thing?

How can 1.8 billion people around the world be wrong about their choice in religion?
The acts of a few should not represent the small percentage of the world's population.
How can such a great country allow such hate towards people.



“I raise my voice not so that I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard”
How do we fix a broken society?
We start by looking in the mirror.
We ask ourselves if what we are doing is right
or are we just accepting the way things are.
We should respect each others rights to live and succeed.
We should stop being afraid of standing up for what's right.

Human Rights.
That’s what I fight for,
that’s what I believe in.
Everyone should have a voice,
everyone should be heard,
and everyone should count.

I challenge you to change the world,



Blumberg, Naomi. “Malala Yousafzai.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2 Aug. 2017.
“Malala Yousafzai > Quotes.” Malala Yousafzai Quotes (Author of I Am Malala).
Kettler, Sara. “Malala Yousafzai.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 31 Oct. 2017.