Nobel Peace Prize laureate and education activist Malala Yousafzai has begun the new year with a renewed commitment to girls affected by conflict, announcing a $300,000 grant aimed at supporting education and emergency relief efforts in Gaza, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The announcement was made through a post on Instagram, where Yousafzai outlined the three grassroots organisations selected to receive the funding. Each group is actively working on the ground in conflict-affected regions, providing critical assistance to girls and women whose lives and education have been disrupted by war.In her statement, Yousafzai issued a sharp rebuke to governments worldwide, urging them to show “a fraction of the courage these girls demonstrate every day” and to take meaningful action to safeguard their right to education. She also criticised international institutions, including the United Nations, calling on them to uphold international law and ensure children’s right to safety, dignity and learning.
In Gaza, the Malala Fund will partner with the Taawon Welfare Association, an organisation working to keep children connected to education amid ongoing devastation. Taawon provides safe learning spaces and mental health support, helping young people maintain a sense of stability in an environment marked by violence and displacement.
“For children in Gaza, education remains one of the few anchors of safety, structure and hope,” Yousafzai said in her post. “They deserve classrooms, protection and dignity — not hunger or the theft of their future.”
In Sudan, the funds will be directed to the Mutual Aid Sudan Coalition, a women-led welfare organisation operating in the midst of the country’s ongoing conflict. The coalition’s Women’s Response Rooms deliver lifesaving support, including food for malnourished women and children, assistance for survivors of gender-based violence, and safe spaces for children affected by fighting.
Meanwhile, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Malala Fund will support Panzi Hospital and Foundation, an institution renowned for providing specialised care to women during pregnancy and childbirth. The organisation also offers medical and psychosocial support to survivors of sexual violence, a pervasive issue in conflict-affected areas of the country.
The latest announcement follows an earlier $100,000 grant awarded to the International Network for Aid, Relief and Assistance in Egypt. That funding was allocated to support Gazan refugees, covering shelter, medical services, education and mental health care.
Through these initiatives, Malala Yousafzai reaffirmed her longstanding message that education is not a luxury but a lifeline — particularly for girls living amid war, displacement and humanitarian crisis.