When a group of young people travelled from different parts of the world to meet Malala Yousafzai, they were strangers with two important things in common: a drive to overcome the challenge of severe-to-profound hearing loss and a passion to achieve their dreams.
Malala Yousafzai received the Nobel Peace Prize at the age of 17 for her struggle for the right of all children to receive an education and equality for girls and women. Today she continues to champion the rights of girls to have an education and is a courageous role model for a generation of young people worldwide.
Speaking publicly in Sydney Australia, Malala encouraged young cochlear implant recipients in the audience to explore everything they are interested in.
‘If you don’t consider it a weakness, that is the first step to overcoming it,’ said Malala, who lost hearing in her left ear after being shot and critically injured by the Taliban in 2012.
These young cochlear recipients have their own inspiring stories and are overcoming the personal challenges associated with hearing loss as they strive to become the next generation of doctors, engineers, teachers and scientists.
Find out what these young people from India, China, Australia, Brazil and elsewhere had to say about meeting Malala who spoke personally about her own experience of overcoming hearing loss.
This video was produced to contribute to the World Health Organizations’ World Hearing Day 2019 campaign to raise awareness of the need to prevent and treat hearing loss.
