Malala Is Now Raising Just Under A Billion Pounds To Educate Syrian Refugees

Teen activist, Malala Yousafzai, will address world leaders this Thursday in a bid to raise awareness and funds to educate young Syrian refugees...

Pakistani education activist, 18-year old Malala Yousafzai, will take to the podium at the ‘Supporting Syria’ conference in London on Thursday, addressing world leaders from far and wide. And although the meeting will discuss all potential aid plans, Malala will concentrate on education, highlighting it as ‘a child’s fundamental right’ and ‘the best investment that we can make’.

The young activist vows to ask world leaders to commit £974,000,000 to educate Syrian refugee children, bringing attention to the 700,000 uneducated youths thought to be living in Middle Eastern refugee camps as a direct result of the war. Without access to schooling, they are in danger of becoming a lost generation – something which Malala has believes would see us paying a much higher price than the financial sum she is asking for.

‘We can still help them, we can still protect them,' she says. 'They are not lost yet. They need schools. They need books. They need teachers. This is the way we can protect the future of Syria’ she has explained. ‘It is time for the world to match their commitment to get every Syrian child back in school’.

Malala is no stranger to the cause, winning the Nobel Peace Prize at the age of 17 and receiving a standing ovation at the United Nations for her speech on women’s rights in 2013. This Thursday however, she will be joined by a new face: 17-year old Syrian refugee, Muzoon Almellehan, a fellow schoolgirl turned activist who has devoted herself to the cause of education.

When asked about introducing Muzoon to the conference, Malala replied ‘She is the one that I want people to listen to. Her story is so powerful, it is so inspiring. She is going to tell world leaders that these children have a right to an education and they must not ignore it’

'I’m hoping to encourage and inspire world leaders to take action. I'm not going to wait. We can't wait. It needs to happen.’

If one female teen activist managed to bring the United Nations to their feet in 2013, we can’t wait to see what two can accomplish in 2016.