Michelle Obama and Malala Yousafzai In Conversation For International Day of the Girl

The pair talked to a 17-year-old student in India about education, and changing the world for the better post-COVID.
Michelle Obama Malala Yousafzai Priya Mondol
Luisa Dorr/ Office of Michelle Obama/ Ruby Sisodia

For many girls across the world, education isn't a guarantee. In fact, even before the pandemic, more than 98 million adolescent girls around the globe weren’t in school for reasons like fear of danger on the commute, inability to afford education, stigma around menstruation, or cultural beliefs that sequester women to the home. Today, millions more are currently out of school as a result of COVID-19 — and are at risk of never returning at all. But each of these girls, no matter her circumstance, deserves the opportunity that education provides.

That's why as we get ready to mark the International Day of the Girl on October 11, we're excited to share a conversation between two champions for girls’ education globally: Malala Yousafzai and Michelle Obama. Malala has inspired girls around the world with her courage and her fearless pursuit of education, even in the face of violence. When the Taliban tried to silence her, she didn’t give up — and what’s more, she created Malala Fund to help other girls access the kind of education she got.

Like Malala, former First Lady Michelle Obama is also an advocate for girls' education. During her time in the White House, Obama started the Let Girls Learn initiative to empower girls through education. On the Day of the Girl in 2018, she launched the next phase of this work with the Girls Opportunity Alliance — a program of the Obama Foundation that supports adolescent girls around the world and the grassroots leaders and organizations that work to empower them.

Joining the indomitable pair is Priya Mondol, a 17-year-old student in Kolkata, India, for whom their work is personal. Priya faced obstacles to getting an education, but with the help of Her Future Coalition, an organization supported by the Girls Opportunity Alliance, she's able to keep learning during this challenging time. She joined Mrs. Obama and Malala to discuss the importance of developing resilience and to share insights about girls’ education and empowerment in advance of the Day of the Girl. Check it out below:

Priya: As we get ready to celebrate the International Day of the Girl, I’m so excited to discuss an issue that we all care about deeply: girls’ education around the world. Where does your passion for empowering girls through education come from, and why is this such an important issue across the globe?

Malala: I am passionate about girls’ education because I personally know what it is like to be denied the right to go to school—and I know that education is every girl’s best hope for the future. I’ve traveled around the world and met girls in refugee camps, in cities and in rural areas. Everywhere I go, I talk to incredible, resilient girls who are determined to fight for their education and pursue their dreams. They understand the power of education to transform their lives, their families, their communities and their countries.

Mrs. Obama: I'm here doing this work because I want every girl to have the same opportunities that I did growing up. So much of my life has been determined by my ability to get an education — it’s hard to overstate that. And my first meeting with Malala really inspired me to put all the resources I could toward making sure girls all over the world can get the education they deserve. Because the truth is, there are young women like both of you in every corner of the globe, girls who are eager to learn and absolutely determined to get an education worthy of their promise. And when girls get the opportunities they deserve, we all benefit. Poverty goes down, economies grow, and babies are born healthier. The world, by all accounts, gets better. And now, with the pandemic still raging on, we need to do everything we can to ensure that girls are not left behind, no matter what school might look like in this moment or in the future.

Priya: Malala, you have overcome so much and recently graduated from college. I am on that path too. How did you find the resilience to keep going and keep studying, even against the great obstacles you faced?

Malala: I really loved being at university. I learned so much and I made great friends too. Of course, I was hoping to spend my last months living at my college and graduating with my friends and that wasn’t possible because of the pandemic. But I am grateful that I was able to finish my studies, even if it wasn’t how I planned.

Being a student and an activist is a lot of pressure and it is discouraging sometimes. But, for me, there is no other option. I can’t pursue my own education while millions of girls are denied the same opportunity. I believe a lot of young people feel the same way and are balancing their studies with trying to create change in their communities. This gives me so much hope for our shared future.

I’m excited for you to go to college, Priya! If you want any advice from a recent graduate, please let me know.

Priya: Thank you so much, Malala. That means so much to me.

Mrs. Obama: Priya, I’d love to hear more about your own story. I know that you’ve faced barriers as you continue to pursue your education. What drives you to keep studying and learning?

Priya: I grew up in Kolkata in India, and my family struggled to get by. My mother passed away when I was young, so I live with my older sister and brother now. I was afraid it wouldn’t be possible for me to finish school or to get my education. So many of my friends dropped out to get married and have children, but I have different dreams for myself. I learned about the Her Future Coalition [an organization supported by the Girls Opportunity Alliance], which gives girls like me scholarships and a safe place to learn. They have given me the support I need and they give me hope, too. I am really inspired by my teachers there. They tell us that those who have education also have respect. I want respect in my life. That’s why I am studying.

Mrs. Obama: I am so inspired by that, Priya—and your determination and your perseverance as you chase your goals and your dreams is something to be proud of. And it’s so important to have support along the way—so make sure you lean on those teachers every chance you get. They can be a tremendous resource for you.

Priya: Mrs. Obama, you broke barriers as the first Black First Lady of the United States. But before that you were a student in Chicago, where adults at your school sometimes underestimated you and where you faced stereotypes because of your race and gender. How did you motivate yourself when you faced doubt from people—or push through the moments when you didn’t believe in yourself?

Mrs. Obama: You know, Priya, first I want to say that experiencing doubt is totally normal. We’ve all been there: Am I good enough? Am I smart enough? Will they listen to what I have to say? There have been plenty of times where I’ve fallen into that line of thinking — as a student on the South Side of Chicago, during my early days at Princeton, and even during my time in the White House. And self-doubt can be especially difficult for women and girls, because for so long we have been discouraged from speaking up and taking the lead, whether it's in the classroom, the boardroom, or any other big room where decisions are made. In the United States, that’s even more true for women and girls of color.

Growing up, not much was expected of girls who looked like me. Sometimes people told me that I was aiming too high, or that my voice was too loud. But I kept raising my hand and I learned a lot at school—how to do my multiplication tables and write an essay, yes, but also how to push myself, dust myself off after failure, and trust my own voice. And while we can’t control the doubts that other people might have, we can work on the voice inside our own heads. And that’s where knowing how to work hard can really help. I learned to put my head down and focus on the task at hand — and then I let that work speak for itself. That’s what I’ve always tried to do, whether it was in the classroom or in the White House. And that’s how my confidence in myself grew too.

Malala: I think women around the world have to learn perseverance at an early age because of discrimination and gender norms that lead to low expectations. While that’s wrong, it also makes us stronger and more determined to achieve our own goals. Priya, what are some of your dreams for your future and how do you think education will help you achieve them?

Priya: My dream is to become a wildlife photographer. I want to travel and see the world. Education is so important to me because it will help me to pursue my dreams. I need technical knowledge about cameras and art, and I also need to know the world in order to capture it through my photos. I want to tell stories through my photographs.

Mrs. Obama: That’s such a wonderful dream. I’m looking forward to the day your photography is helping us all understand the world a little better and teaching us more about each other and the planet we share.

Priya: I want to ask you both about the pandemic, because this has been a hard time for me and my friends and for so many young people with schools closing around the world. Malala, I know that your organization released a report which estimates that 20 million more girls may never go back to school as a result of the pandemic. How can we ensure that doesn’t happen and help girls to keep learning safely?

Malala: I think it’s important to recognize that the pandemic has only exacerbated many of the problems women and girls faced before this health crisis. Before COVID-19, 130 million girls [across all ages] were out of school, gender norms limited their ambitions and increased their exposure to sexual harassment and violence, and our economic and education systems too often worked against them.

So, I am not looking for a return to the way things were. I want a renewed commitment to education. If we do that, the data shows that our economies will be more resilient and our public health will improve.

At Malala Fund, we’re helping girls to keep learning during the pandemic by working with local activists in our Education Champion Network. In Nigeria, Kiki James and ACE Charity are helping teachers develop radio lessons to reach girls in rural areas. Haroon Yasin's organization Orenda is digitizing Pakistan’s national curriculum, making lessons available to millions of children at home on their smartphones and national television. We’re focused on supporting local solutions to the problems girls face — because we believe that these activists understand challenges in their communities and are best placed to innovate and advocate for change.

Mrs. Obama: I couldn’t agree more. We have to make sure girls everywhere have the resources they need to keep learning while staying healthy and safe — and, most importantly, that girls aren’t left behind as a result of this pandemic. Unfortunately, we know from past crises like Ebola that this doesn’t always happen. The struggles that many girls already face worsen in times like these, from violence at home to child marriage and unintended pregnancy to economic hardship. And that, of course, includes access to education. That’s why I’ve been so heartened to see the incredible response of grassroots organizations in the Girls Opportunity Alliance community. The Kibera Girls Soccer Academy is delivering food, essential supplies, and learning materials to girls and their families in Kenya. The Talent Youth Association is working with community leaders to help prevent early marriage in rural Ethiopia. And Priya, I know you’re a member of Her Future Coalition, which is another great organization we support through the Girls Opportunity Alliance that empowers girls in India. Can you tell us more about how they’ve helped you through this time and what your education looks like today?

Priya: Her Future Coalition is supporting my education now and has pledged to sponsor me for college. Before the pandemic, I often went to their community center to study, get counseling and help with my schoolwork, use the computers, and hang out with my friends. It's a place where I feel safe and happy. During COVID-19 we are continuing to get tutoring and counseling online, and I can reserve a time to go to the center to use the computer. I’m currently in Class 11 of high school, and I've come through so much already. I refuse to let anything — including this pandemic— get in the way of my dreams.

Mrs. Obama: I’m so glad that you have a community that you can count on. We all need that —especially during difficult times.

Malala: It’s wonderful to hear that you and your friends are doing whatever you can to keep learning.

Priya: I have one last question for you both: how can other young women step up and take action for their fellow girls around the world on the Day of the Girl and beyond?

Mrs. Obama: In the short term we can make sure to support grassroots girls’ education leaders and organizations around the world. We launched the Girls Opportunity Alliance Fund so that anyone, anywhere can support organizations like Her Future Coalition. And one beautiful thing is that any amount helps — we've had girls do everything from contributing their allowances to starting book drives to hosting virtual fundraisers for this cause. I encourage young people to find creative ways to raise money to support their peers around the world. Another thing we need to do is continue to raise awareness. When we encounter stories like yours, Priya, or any girl fighting for her education, we can spread the word on social media, share an article with 10 friends, or start a conversation with a family member — because when folks learn these stories and meet these girls, they immediately feel connected. It’s so powerful. And if you’re looking for more ways to support this cause, the Girls Opportunity Alliance has created a Learn & Take Action page to help young people get involved with this issue.

Malala: I loved talking to both of you today Michelle and Priya — and I believe girls and women can learn so much from each other. It’s important to tell your story or call attention to issues in your community. Malala Fund’s digital platform for young women, Assembly, is always accepting submissions. When you hear another girl speaking out, listen, learn and help amplify her voice.