Malala, father Ziauddin to fundraise for Shehzad Roy's Zindagi Trust, Durbeen in US

The world's youngest Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai and her father Ziauddin Yousafzai will visit the United States next month to attend a fundraising gala for Pakistani singer Shehzad Roy's education initiatives Zindagi Trust and Durbeen.

The father-daughter duo, known for their advocacy towards girls' education around the world, will be supporting Roy's education-oriented causes on March 1 and 2 in Florida and Texas, respectively.

Malala has become an internationally recognised symbol of resistance to the Taliban's efforts to deny women education and other rights. In 2014, she became the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize at the age of 17 in recognition of her efforts for children's rights.

Both Malala and her father will be supporting both initiatives which benefit the young girls being taught at Zindagi Trust-adopted schools as well as Durbeen, its sister organisation focused on teacher training.

Roy, on the other hand, will be seen performing live for the audience gathered at the gala to support the cause of advancing the two educational initiatives in Pakistan for a brighter future of the country.

Zindagi Trust has not only offered a model of holistic education being implemented in its government schools but has achieved success through policy change at the state level including banning corporal punishment and protecting millions of children across Pakistan from abuse by imparting life skills-based education.

Durbeen, on the other hand, is revolutionising teacher education across Pakistan by partnering with government teachers colleges to produce qualified teachers for public schools.

In just five years, Durbeen has revamped infrastructure and introduced an innovative teaching methodology. Now, Durbeen is pioneering a 1.5-year graduate programme to train teacher-educators, a first in Pakistan, in collaboration with the University of Oxford.  

Both the fundraising galas will be held on Friday, March 1, at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Resort in Orlando, Florida, and on Saturday, March 2, at the Royal Sonesta in Houston Galleria, Houston, Texas.