Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani Nobel Peace Prize laureate, celebrated her 28th birthday in Tanzania while engaging with young girls championing their right to education.

Marking her first visit to the country, Malala met with local education advocates and Malala Fund partners to better understand the progress and challenges in ensuring quality education for girls in Tanzania.

Her visit underscores the Malala Fund’s ongoing dedication to advancing girls’ secondary education in the region. During her stay, Malala held meaningful conversations with education leaders, exchanging personal experiences, policy insights, and the critical role of education in empowering girls.

In an emotional Instagram post, Malala expressed her inspiration from the visit, drawing parallels to her childhood in Pakistan. She described the classroom as her safe haven and how losing access to education spurred her and her peers to advocate for their rights. Being among Tanzanian schoolgirls rekindled those memories and reaffirmed the importance of their shared fight.