Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai has said 40 girls in Pakistan will be the first to benefit from a fund set up in her name after she was shot in the head by the Taliban for her efforts to promote girls ' education . She announced the $ 45,000 grant for education in the Swat Valley -- the Taliban stronghold where she 's from -- in a video played at the Women in the World summit in New York City on Thursday . `` We are going to educate 40 girls , and I invite all of you to support the Malala Fund , '' she said . `` Let us turn the education of 40 girls into 40 million girls . '' Actress and U.N. special envoy Angelina Jolie spoke movingly of Malala 's courage in the face of the Taliban 's attempt to silence her , saying there was `` always something special '' about her . `` They shot her at point-blank range in the head and made her stronger , '' she said . Gordon Brown : 32 million girls not at school , we must push for change . `` In a brutal attempt to silence her voice , it grew louder , and she more resolute in calling on the entire world , not just Pakistan , to ensure the right for every girl and boy to an education . '' Jolie also paid tribute to Malala 's reluctance to be in the limelight for her own sake , despite her new influence as a campaigner and role model . `` She is powerful , but she is also a sweet , creative , loving little girl who wants to help others and work for others , '' Jolie said . Malala : Global symbol , but still just a kid . `` She does n't want to be center of attention -- her goal is progress , not notoriety . '' Jolie will donate $ 200,000 to the Malala Fund , which was set up to support the education of girls in Pakistan , Women in the World said . The fund was established on Malala 's behalf by the Vital Voices Global Partnership , a non-governmental organization founded in 1997 by former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton . Malala spoke via Skype on Friday with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon , who said he was `` deeply impressed '' with her . `` When we work together we can achieve our goal , and our goal is simple : peace and happiness in this world , '' she told Ban . `` The way to see peace is through education . It is an honor for me to be associated with the U.N . I want to tell the world how important education is . '' Ban said , `` The U.N. will always be with you and the many people like you . '' `` If we educate a woman , we educate a family , a community and a country , '' he said . Earlier this week in Washington , Malala was presented with Vital Voices ' Global Trailblazer Award , in `` recognition of her courage , conviction , and vision for the future . '' Previous recipients of the award include Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Myanmar 's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi . READ MORE : Malala 's journey from near death to recovery . Malala , now 15 , rose to global fame after the attack which almost claimed her life last October . She had already come to national and international attention through a blog she wrote about her life and girls ' right to learn . In March , Malala returned to school for the first time since the masked Taliban gunmen shot her on a school bus . She 's attending lessons in Birmingham , England , the city where doctors treated her after she received initial care in Pakistan . READ MORE : Teen at school for first time since being shot by Taliban .
President Yousafzai meets with U.N. chief Ban Ki - moon . Malala announces her first grant to help girls in her home country in Pakistan . Angelina Jolie will donate $ 500 to the fund to help educate Pakistani girls . In March , Malala returned to school for the first time since the Taliban abducted her in October .