Photo: Courtesy Malala Twitter Account
Apple will invest in Pakistani Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai’s organization – known as Malala Fund – to help expand its work in support of girls realizing their right to education.
Malala, the youngest Nobel Peace Laureate, has been advocating girls’ right to education for several years after surviving a Taliban attack in 2012 and has earned worldwide respect for her cause.
Apple will become the fund’s first Laureate partner, enabling a significant expansion of Malala’s effort to support girls’ education and advocate for equal opportunity, the tech giant said Monday.
Malala Fund champions every girl’s right to 12 years of free, safe, quality education.
With Apple’s support, Malala Fund expects to double the number of grants awarded by its Gulmakai Network and extend funding programs to India and Latin America with the initial goal of extending secondary education opportunities to more than 100,000 girls, Apple said in a news release.
Apple will assist Malala Fund with technology, curriculum and research into policy changes needed to help girls everywhere attend school and complete their education.
According to the company, Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, will also join the Malala Fund leadership council.
“My dream is for every girl to choose her own future,” said Malala Yousafzai.
“Through both their innovations and philanthropy, Apple has helped educate and empower people around the world. 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.
“We believe that education is a great equalising force, and we share Malala Fund’s commitment to give every girl an opportunity to go to school,” said Tim Cook.
Cook praised Malala as 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.”
Since 2013, Malala Fund has been working in partnership with other organisations, the private sector and governments around the world to realize every girl’s right to 12 years of free, safe, quality education, Apple noted.
The fund’s Gulmakai Network currently supports programs in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Lebanon, Turkey and Nigeria, according to the announcement.
“With an estimated 130 million girls out of school, the importance of their work is increasingly essential.”
