Knowledge is bulletproof
By Sanam Maher

In 2012, three young girls named Malala Yousufzai, Shazia Ramzan and Kainat Riaz were traveling in their school bus in Northern-Pakistan when a Taliban gunman boarded the bus and shot them at close range for their "crime" of wanting to go to school. All three girls fought back their serious injuries and emerged as determined spokespersons for the right of girls to be educated.Tasked with telling their story, a group of artists in Pakistan have collaborated with renowned Pakistani writer Sanam Maher, and have designed a symbol with the ultimate message of resistance: a book that speaks of knowledge being more powerful than any bullet that might try to stop it.Introducing the world's first bulletproof novel: a 150-page novel titled “Knowledge is Bulletproof that tells the girls' stories on paper but which is binded with a cover made of bullet-resistant Kevlar-XP fiber with the capability to repel a 9mm bullet fired from as close as 5 meters.The book has been published by SOC Outreach, a community engagement program that works with educational institutions and organizations to instill critical thinking in the next generation of Pakistanis, spearheaded by Academy Award winner Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy. The project is an activation designed to raise awareness of the importance of education, to inspire and motivate girls and women to go to school regardless of the hurdles, to emphasize the strength of Pakistani women who choose education, and to acknowledge the resilience of Pakistanis.The project will seek to raise funds through the sale of these books in order to donate to a cause benefitting girls' education in Northern Pakistan, particularly in the areas affected by the Taliban, and will help fund the rebuilding of schools.