Born in 1997, Malala Yousafzai was encouraged from childhood by her father to value education as a fundamental right. Her trajectory demonstrates how education can be a powerful tool for social transformation.Experience report of health education and empowerment actions using the life of Malala Yousafzai.The mapping of Malala’s steps and actions aimed at overcoming prejudice and securing the right to education was, for the first time, associated with motivational interviewing techniques to develop self-efficacy among women in marginalized situations, based on the Characteristics of Successful Changers.Initial actions occurred in 2018. In 2019, the approaches were replicated in remote rural communities, engaging women who had dropped out of or not completed primary or higher education. In 2022, actions were carried out with women experiencing homelessness, using a conversation circle methodology.Stage 1 consisted of presenting Malala’s story, emphasizing the importance of education in changing life perspectives for women living in peripheral areas of northeastern Brazil. Stage 2 focused on developing the concept of health, highlighting a biopsychosocial perspective for comprehensive health maintenance. The role of education in improving job opportunities, income, and family support security was emphasized. A playful and participatory activity addressed family types and the impact of role overload in contemporary women’s lives. In Stage 3, women shared stories of struggle and resilience across life stages, addressing issues such as domestic violence, stigma, sexual abuse, child labor, physical and mental overload, human rights violations in arranged marriages, deprivation of education and pressure for early motherhood, emotional dependence and psychological violence, and limited access to women’s health care, contraception, and family planning.The empowerment of women and girls can be coordinated by family and community physicians, contributing to improved social outcomes and the construction of meaningful life projects that uphold human rights to health and quality education.