Malala Yousafzai and Angelina Jolie launch school fund

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Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani schoolgirl shot in the head by the Taliban, as she attends her first day of school just weeks after being released from hospital. 19 March 2013
Image caption,
Malala returned to school in Birmingham, England in March

Hollywood star Angelina Jolie has honoured Pakistani schoolgirl activist Malala Yousafzai, who has launched a charity to fund girls' education.

In New York, Ms Jolie said Malala would be "in charge" of the Malala Fund. Malala, 15, said in a video the launch was "the happiest moment of my life".

The charity's first grant will fund the education of 40 girls in Pakistan.

Malala was shot in the head by the Taliban in October in retribution for her advocacy for girls' education.

She now attends school in Birmingham, England following her recovery from the shooting and has signed a book deal worth about $3m (£2m) for her memoir.

Media caption,

Angelina Jolie announces start of Malala Fund in New York

The book, titled I am Malala, is scheduled for publication in the autumn.

"Announcing the first grant of the Malala Fund is the happiest moment in my life," Malala said in a video message at the Women in the World conference in New York.

"I invite all of you to support the Malala Fund and let us turn the education of 40 girls into 40 million girls."

The teenager started school again in mid-March following surgery to fit a titanium plate and cochlear implant into her skull.