I don’t have many idols. When I was a child, I used to read all the books in my father’s library. So, while I would read Little Women or Salgari’s stories, I would also read encyclopedias about Second World War or Lincoln’s biography. As a result, I have very eclectic tastes in literature, and became rather distrustful person. I have always believed that behind very “altruistic” motives, there are always very prosaic reasons. But there are exceptions, and exceptional people. I strongly believe, that’s the case with Malala.

I imagine everybody knows who this Pakistani girl is. She was born in the Swat valley, very near the Afghanistan border. She is also Pasthun. She became “famous” when Talibans shot her in 2012, because since she was a child she has been defending girl’s rights to attend school. 

I don´t really remember having followed her story at the time. But I began to do some research about her, when she was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2013. Regrettably, and inexplicably,  she didn`t win in that occasion. Supposedly the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical weapons (in the context of the Syrian conflict) deserved it more.

Beyond the fact she won the Nobel Peace Prize (she finally obtained in 2014) and other awards, I believe her story must be told to every girl (and boy) in the word.

Her life is inspiring, her determination to learn no matter the adverse context, is remarkable.

However, we can’t understand her story and her courage, without taking into consideration her father, Ziauddin Yousafzai. His aspirations and his continuous fight for the right of education made him into a real defender of the girl’s right to attend school, in the midst of Taliban domination in the Swat Valley. He deserves international recognition, too.

Back to Malala, she believes that the main reason she and two other students survived the brutal attack perpetrated by Talibans (she was shot in the head within the school bus) is she has a mission, a duty to all the girls in the world: to fight for their rights to have an education.

But I think the most important idea that she explains and I want to highlight, is the need to “empower” girls. Like Malala always says, young girls need to know that the strongest tool they have is a “pencil”. We need to help our children realize just how important it is to get education, no matter how adverse circumstances may be.

It’s imperative to get the message across that education is not only about math, grades and learning contents, but rather that it is a powerful tool that can change our lives and the world.

Her life should be known by everybody: our children, who have privileged lives and usually don’t want to go to school, as well as, by children who live in very difficult  and hostile circumstances for education, not very far from us.

Definitely, Malala is my idol, and she should be an idol for many girls and boys, and adults, too.