Kids Who Changed The World

Written by: Sitara Nair

Malala Yousafzai, Anne Frank, and Greta Thunberg each showed how the determination of young people can influence history, inspire movements, and spark global change.
Let’s learn more about their lives, their impact, and the lessons they continue to teach the world today!!

Malala Yousafzai

Malala Yousafzai, born on July 12, 1997, in the Swat Valley of Pakistan, rose as a brave advocate for girls' education at a very young age. When she was just 11, she defied the Taliban’s oppressive bans on female schooling by anonymously writing under the name “Gul Makai” for BBC Urdu, sharing her daily struggles under Taliban rule. In 2012, a masked gunman boarded her school bus and shot her in the head and neck, attempting to silence her. Miraculously, Malala survived and was flown to the UK for treatment, where she recovered and continued her mission to promote education. On her 16th birthday, Malala delivered a powerful speech at the United Nations, advocating for every child’s right to education and becoming a symbol of courage and resilience. In 2014, at age 17, she became the youngest winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, recognized jointly with Kailash Satyarthi for their fight for children’s rights and education. Alongside her father, she co-founded the Malala Fund in 2013, which aims to provide 12 years of quality education for every girl. The organization supports local advocates, funds grants, and influences worldwide policies. Malala’s story has inspired world leaders, energized petitions, and led to real advances in girls’ education, gender equality, and education laws in many countries. From a young girl in Swat Valley to a global symbol of hope and change, Malala continues to remind us that one voice can truly change the world.

Anne Frank

Anne Frank, born in Frankfurt in 1929, became a poignant voice of the Holocaust. Her family fled Nazi Germany to Amsterdam in 1933, but when the Nazis occupied the Netherlands in 1940, they went into hiding in a secret annex. During this time, Anne, only 13, kept a diary where she expressed her fears, hopes, and humor amid immense hardship. Betrayed after two years, Anne and her family were deported to Bergen-Belsen, where she died of typhus in 1945. Her father Otto survived and published her diary in 1947, which has since touched millions worldwide, reminding us of the human cost of prejudice and war, and proving that even a young girl’s voice can inspire global reflection!

Greta Thunberg

Greta Thunberg, born on January 3, 2003, in Stockholm, Sweden, gained international recognition as a passionate youth climate activist. Starting at age 15, she gained attention by skipping school on Fridays to protest outside the Swedish Parliament with a sign that read “School strike for climate,” inspiring a global movement called Fridays for Future that mobilized millions worldwide to demand urgent action against climate change. Known for her straightforward and urgent tone, she has addressed world leaders at the UN, criticizing their inaction and calling for systemic change, and has received prestigious honors like Time’s Person of the Year. Through speeches, books, and actions like sailing across the Atlantic to reduce emissions, Greta shows how young voices can lead significant social and environmental change, joining the ranks of influential youth icons like Malala Yousafzai and Anne Frank.