Apple has joined forces with the Malala Fund to support the push for girls¡¯ education and empowerment around the world.
Malala Yousafzai and Tim Cook with Lebanese and Syrian students in Beirut - Images courtesy Apple
Founded, by the youngest ever Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai, and her father Ziauddin, the Malala Fund aims provide girls around the world with at least 12 years of free, safe, quality education and advocate for equal opportunity in their society.
Apple has become the funds first Laureate partner and, with its help, the Malala Fund expects to double the number of grants awarded by its Gulmakai Network. The fund is also looking to launch funding programs in India and Latin America in order to provide more than 100,000 young girls with a secondary education. For its part Apple will help the Malala Fund scale its organization by assisting with technology, curriculum and research into policy changes needed to help girls everywhere attend school and complete their education. In addition, Apple CEO Tim Cook will also join the Malala Fund leadership council.
¡°My dream is for every girl to choose her own future,¡± Malala Yousafzai said in a press release. ¡° I am grateful that Apple knows the value of investing in girls and is joining Malala Fund in the fight to ensure all girls can learn and lead without fear.¡±
Malala Yousafzai and Tim Cook outside the home of a family with daughters attending school in Beirut
¡°We believe that education is a great equalizing force, and we share Malala Fund¡¯s commitment to give every girl an opportunity to go to school,¡± Apple CEO Tim Cook added. ¡°Malala is a courageous advocate for equality. She¡¯s one of the most inspiring figures of our time, and we are honored to help her extend the important work she is doing to empower girls around the world.¡±
The Malala Fund works to protect girls over the world from a variety of hurdles that impede their education, from poverty and war to gender discrimination and a lack of awareness. Yousafzai has been a global icon ever since the Taliban attempted to assassinate her in 2012 when she spoke up about her desire to be an educated woman and the challenges that come with it. She was just 15 at the time.
Since then, she¡¯s continued to fight for girls everywhere to have access to an education, winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 for her efforts.