Name: Zaha Hadid
Birthdate: October 31, 1950
Birthplace: Bagdag, Irak
Profession: Architect
Achievements: When she was 10 years old, she decided that
she wanted to become an architect. She studied hard to
make her dream come true and she got the nickname “The
Queen of the Curve” because of her way of designing the
buildings. She liked to do things in her creations that no one
else could even imagine. She was their first woman to
receive the Royal Institute of British Architects Gold Medal.
Quote: “I always thought I was powerful, since I was a kid.”
Name: Julia Child
Birthdate: August 15, 1912
Birthplace: California, United States
Profession: Spy and cook
Achievements: During the Second World War, Julia became a
spy. One of her missions was to solve a problem with
explosives that were underwater, surrounded by sharks. She
mixed all sorts of disgusting ingredients that smelled so bad
that the sharks didn’t get close to them. After the war
ended, she moved to France and decided to be a cook. She
joined the finest cooking school in the world. She became a
famous chef with her own TV show and she wrote a
bestseller cooking book.
Quote: “Find something you're passionate about and keep
tremendously interested in it.”
Name: Maria Montessori
Birthdate: August 31, 1870
Birthplace: Chiaravalle, Italy
Profession: Physician and educator
Achievements: She was a doctor and a teacher who worked
with disabled children. She applied innovative techniques to
teach her students to be independent. Her method resulted
to be very effective, and she decided to open a school for all
children. She invented child-sized furniture and toys for the
kids that encouraged them to discover the world in a
practical way. She thought that kids who learnt to be self-
sufficient would learn how to be happy as well. Her method
is still applied in many schools.
Quote: “Never help a child with a task at which she feels she
can succeed.”
Name: Malala Yousafzai
Birthdate: July 12, 1997
Birthplace: Mingora, Pakistan
Profession: Activist and student
Achievements: A group of armed men called the Taliban
took control of the valley where she lived and forbade girls
from going to school. She talked on TV and the internet
about how unfair that was. One day, the Taliban found her
on a school bus and shot her in the head but she did not die.
She went to hospital and she recovered faster than anyone
could have imagined. She continues fighting against
inequality and she is the youngest person ever to receive the
Nobel Peace Prize.
Quote: “One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can
change the world.”
Name: Jingu
Birthdate: 169, AD
Birthplace: Kyoto,Japan
Profession: Empress and warrior
Achievements: She was married to the emperor of Japan.
One day, he declared war on a group of rebels, but Jingu did
not agree. She thought that they should invade Korea but
her husband died in the battle against the rebels. While
pregnant, she kept his death secret, put on his clothes and
defeated the rebels herself, and led the army to conquer
Korea. The expedition was successful and she reigned for
over 70 years.
Quote: “Our fleet is ready to take possession of the land of
treasure.”
Name: Michelle Obama
Birthdate: January 17, 1964
Birthplace: Illinois, United States
Profession: Lawyer and First Lady
Achievements: She was born in a very humble family. Her
teachers told her she would never achieve anything because her
grades were not good enough. But her parents always told her
she could do whatever she wanted. Michelle listened to them
and worked really hard. She graduated from Harvard University
and became a lawyer at a big firm. One day, her boss asked her
to instruct a new lawyer, Barack Obama. They fell in love and got
married. Some years later, he became the President of the
United States with her help.
Quote: “No one is born smart. You become smart through
hard work.”