Malala Yousafzai, the 15-year-old schoolgirl from Pakistan shot by the Taliban in October because she believed girls should have the right to go to school, released her first video statement following the attempt on her life in October as she rode a bus to school.
In the video, which was taped before she underwent two major surgeries on Saturday to repair her skull and restore her hearing, Malala said she would continue to fight for girls' education. "Today you can see that I'm alive."
"I can speak, I can see you, I can see everyone and today I can speak and I'm getting better day by day. It's just because of the prayers of people, and because of these prayers, God has given me this new life, and this is a second life. This is the new life and I want to serve the people."
"I want every girl, every child to be educated," she said in her video statement. "And for that reason, we have organized the Malala Fund."
Vital Voices – a global non-governmental organization advancing girls' and women's leadership through training and mentoring – established the fund on behalf of Malala and her family.
The group worked together with supporters of the cause including The United Nations Foundation, Girl Up, and several other organizations and individuals, and the fund is intended to provide grants to organizations and individuals focused on education.
Malala and her father are on the board of the Malala Fund and she will help guide and direct projects the fund supports.
A message on the organization's website said: "We established the Malala Fund on behalf of Malala and her family, working together with supporters of the cause, including the United Nations Foundation and Girl Up, and within a community of supportive organizations and individuals, to realize Malala's vision of education for all girls."
