Tim Cook Discusses Apple's Partnership With Malala Fund to Support Girls' Education While in Canada

Apple today announced that it has teamed up with Malala Fund to become the fund's first Laureate partner, providing Malala Fund with the support it needs to double the number of grants it provides and expand into India and Latin America.

The Malala Fund, led by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai, champions every girl's right to 12 years of free, safe, quality education.

Following the announcement, Apple CEO Tim Cook spoke with iMore in a short interview in Toronto where he shared some insight into how Apple and the Malala Fund came to form a partnership. Cook says that after meeting Malala, it became clear that their values aligned. "Not only the Malala Fund and Apple, but our personal values as well," Cook said.

"One, equality is at the core of our belief and values and, two, that education is the great equalizer of people. If you believe both of those, it's not an extension at all to say, 'how do we help Malala achieve her vision of educating 130-million young girls around the world?'"

Cook said that he loves the Malala Fund's focus on secondary education, because in some places around the world, girls receive an education until grade 6 or grade 7, and then their schooling stops. "This isn't right," said Cook. "It doesn't maximize potential and it doesn't treat people with dignity or respect."

With Apple's help, the Malala Fund will double the grants it provides through its Gulmakai Network (which supports educational programs in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Lebanon, Turkey, and Nigeria) and extend funding programs to Latin America and India, offering secondary education opportunities to more than 100,000 girls to start with.

Apple will provide technology, curriculum, and research into policy changes needed to help girls around the world attend school and complete their education. Going forward, Cook will also serve on the Malala Fund leadership council.

Cook's full comments on the Malala Fund and some additional commentary on Swift Playgrounds can be read over at iMore.

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