11-year-old Girl and Her Class Team Up to Raise $1400 for the Malala Fund

One of our favorite quotes to use here at the Fund comes from Malala’s speech to the UN on her 16th birthday: “One child, one book, one teacher, one pen can change the world.”

This proved true for Robin, an 11-year-old girl from Suffolk, UK, who was inspired to take action after reading “I Am Malala.” Robin’s mother, Clare, reached out to the Malala Fund to tell us about her daughter’s efforts to help spread Malala’s message.

Robin was watching the news when she first heard Malala’s story and asked her parents for a copy of “I Am Malala” for Christmas. After reading the book in about a day, she asked her teacher, Mrs. Burton, if her class could organize an auction to raise money for the Malala Fund. Her teacher asked Robin to prepare a powerpoint presentation to explain to the class why they should take on the project.

She told her classmates, “Please don’t think Malala is some hero that you could never relate to as if she’s just another pop star or actor, she’s a school girl like us who stood up for education. We were starting year 3 when she was shot so she is just 6 years older than us. Like Sara from “The Little Princess” said, ‘It’s only an accident that I’m not you or you’re not me.’“

Her classmates didn’t need much convincing and soon the plan was set. Robin and her classmates swept into action. Their teacher used the fundraiser as an opportunity to teach persuasive writing, which was part of the students’ literacy syllabus. “Each child wrote to either a local business or to local media, describing Malala’s story and the reasons they personally wanted to support her work,” Clare describes.

The students solicited donations for an auction and conducted outreach to spread the word about the fundraiser. They followed up with phone calls and visited local shops. They even made posters to put up in the local towns and villages.

Word about the auction was spreading fast. The day of the fundraiser, Robin and two of her friends were interviewed on a local radio station to discuss the auction and to raise awareness for the Malala Fund.

Thanks to all of the students’ combined efforts, the fundraiser was a huge success, much more than anyone could have anticipated. I n the end the students raised £900 (roughly $1400) for the Malala Fund. What was so great about the fundraiser project is that there were so many ways for Robin and her classmates to get involved. “Everybody who wanted to be involved was,” Clare says. The children’s ability to work together as a team was in full force, mostly because this was a project that they could really relate to.

“I remained amazed at how inspiring one pupil can be. Robin’s passion for the Malala Fund has enabled an incredible thing to happen,” said Mrs. Burton.

Clare says, “They were inspired by Malala because they could identify with her because of her age, and because she has achieved so much at such a young age.” Robin and her classmates were so inspired by Malala because she is so close to their age. Malala taught them that their voices can be heard and they don’t need to rely on adults to speak for them.

Clare offers this advice for any other parents who want to support their child’s fundraising initiatives: “Support, listen, and enable them — but don’t take over!” In the end, Clare believes that the fundraiser was so successful because it started with the children. It was their idea and their enthusiasm and passion was integral to the fundraiser’s success. The students couldn’t have done it by themselves, of course, it took the enduring support and encouragement of their teacher and a handful of parents. But even with the help of a few adults, the fundraiser started with one child. When you give a child the right tools — one teacher, one book, one pen — the possibilities are limitless.

So, what’s next for Robin? Her mother says they are moving from rural Suffolk to London later this summer where she will start secondary school. “She is very excited about it, if a little daunted!,” Clare says. Even though it’s a new school in a new city, Clare knows that her daughter will figure out some way to be involved in social advocacy, “We are so proud of her and constantly amazed at her approach to the world and her place in it.”