Acknowledgements
The last year has shown me both the extreme hatred of man and the limitless love of God. So many
people have helped me that it would take a whole new book to name them all here, but I would like to
thank everyone in Pakistan and all round the world who prayed for me, all the schoolchildren,
students and other supporters who rose when I fell. I am grateful for every petal of the bouquets and
every letter of the cards and messages.
I was very lucky to be born to a father who respected my freedom of thought and expression and
made me part of his peace caravan, and a mother who not only encouraged me but my father too in our
campaign for peace and education.
I have been blessed too with teachers, especially Miss Ulfat, who taught me a lot beyond textbooks
such as patience, tolerance and manners.
Many people have described my recovery as miraculous, and for this I would particularly like to
thank the doctors and nurses at Swat Central Hospital, CMH Peshawar and AFIC Rawalpindi,
especially my heroes Colonel Junaid and Dr Mumtaz, who carried out the right operation at the right
time or I would have died. Thanks also to Brigadier Aslam, who saved my major organs from failure
after surgery.
I am extremely grateful to General Kayani, who took a keen interest in my treatment, and to
President Zardari and his family, whose love and care kept me strong. Thanks to the UAE government
and Crown Prince Mohammad bin Zayed for the use of their plane.
Dr Javid Kayani made me laugh in my gloomy days and was like a father to me. He was the man
behind my treatment in the UK and first-class rehabilitation. Dr Fiona Reynolds was a great source of
comfort to my parents in Pakistan and to me in the UK, and I thank her too for daring to tell me the
truth about my tragedy.
The staff at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham have been amazing. Julie and her team of nurses
were so kind to me, and Beth and Kate were not only nurses but like loving sisters. Iād particularly
like to thank Yma Choudhury, who took great care of me and made sure I had everything I needed,
even going on daily KFC runs.
Richard Irving deserves a particular mention for his surgery to restore my smile, as does Mrs
Anwen White who restored my skull.
Fiona Alexander not only managed the media superbly but went far beyond, even helping to arrange
schooling for me and my brothers, always with a smile.
Rehanna Sadiq has been a wonderful comfort with her spiritual therapy.
Thanks to Shiza Shahid and her family for all their incredible kindness and for helping set up the
Malala Fund, and to her company McKinsey for supporting her in doing this. Thank you to all the
wonderful people and partner organisations who have helped set up the Fund especially Megan
Smith, UN Foundation, Vital Voices and BeeSpace. I am also thankful to Samar Minallah for her great
support of our cause and the Malala Fund.
Great thanks to everyone at Edelman, especially Jamie Lundie and his colleague Laura Crooks. My
father would have gone mad without you!
Thanks as well to Gordon Brown, who has built on what happened to me to create a worldwide
movement for education, and the wonderful staff in his office. And to Ban Ki-moon for being so