Malala Yousafzai has been advocating equal rights for girls and has received the Nobel Peace Prize at the young age of 17 for her efforts.
Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai donated $50,000 to help rebuild schools in Gaza that have been destroyed in the war between Israel and Palestine.
The 17-year-old announced her decision after receiving the World’s Children Prize on Wednesday in Stockholm. She donated the entirety of the prize money to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for the sake of the Gaza schools and Palestinian children.
“I am honored to announce all my World’s Children’s Prize money will go to help students and schools in an especially difficult place – in Gaza,” she said.
“Innocent Palestinian children have suffered terribly and for too long,” Yousafzai said. “We must all work to ensure Palestinian boys and girls, and all children everywhere, receive a quality education in a safe environment. Because without education, there will never be peace. Let us stand together for peace and education because together we are more powerful.”
She has been fighting for the rights of children globally and stresses education as the ultimate key to peace. A member of the Taliban shot her in the head for her viewpoints of equal opportunity and education for girls. Yousafzai is currently in England for her education.
“I am donating these funds to The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, which is performing heroic work to serve children in Gaza, in very difficult circumstances. The needs are overwhelming – more than half of Gaza’s population is under 18 years of age. They want and deserve quality education, hope and real opportunities to build a future,” she said.
The Gaza conflict destroyed some 83 schools and has left numerous families without homes. Pierre Krähenbühl, Commissioner of the UNRWA, welcomed Yousafzai’s contribution.
“You have become a symbol of the boundless potential that lies within each and every child on earth. You are an aspirational figure to the next generation in Palestine and beyond. You are an inspiration to all of us,” said Krähenbühl in a statement regarding the young Nobel laureate.
