How do you get every single girl a full 12 years of quality education? That’s the question at the heart of the Malala Fund, the organisation set up by Malala Yousafzai, the young Nobel Prize winner. And she wants to provide this education in parts of the world where it can't be taken for granted. Luckily, she has a powerful ally.

In January, Apple revealed a tie-up with Malala Fund as part of the initial goal of getting 100,000 girls into education in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Lebanon, Turkey and Nigeria. But today it has been announced that the collaboration is expanding to Latin America.

This expansion means grants will be offered to advocates in Brazil, who will join the Malala Fund's network of so-called Gulmakai Champions. Their job: to implement projects created to empower girls, for example, through school enrolment efforts and developing skills development.

And in Brazil there will also be a connection to the Apple Developer Academy students, encouraging those students to design new apps that can affect girls’ education – Malala dropped in on the Academy in Rio to launch this.

I talked to Lisa Jackson, vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives at Apple, about their connection. Ms Jackson, who previously ran the Environment Protection Agency for President Obama, is a persuasive advocate for Apple's involvement with Malala Fund, combining a forensic grasp of detail with an enthusiasm that is infectious.

"I think the wonderful thing about this partnership is that Apple is very much in the supporting role," she explains. "Here’s an astounding young leader in her fairly young organisation. We have seen part of our role is to help build the base of support, so it can be around for a long time and be as effective as possible. We share the Malala Fund goal, which is for every girl to receive 12 years of quality education."

Back in January, I met Ms Jackson, along with Apple CEO Tim Cook and Malala Yousafzai, in Beirut, when their tie-up was first announced. It was a remarkable day, with a group of Lebanese girl students who were thrilled to meet Malala – some burst into tears in their excitement when they discovered who was coming.

When I spoke to Cook and Malala then, they talked about their commitment to this new initiative with considerable passion. "The Malala Fund is trying to reach out to girls, as many as we can, to empower them through quality education. That was my dream," explained Malala.

Malala breaks down in tears as she returns to Pakistan for first time since Taliban attack

But what has happened in the intervening months? "Since it was first announced there have been many meetings, and collaborations and visits on both sides of the Atlantic between Malala Fund, and us,” says Jackson. "There is a partnership which is now bigger than financial, including hardware and equipment, but which now extends to ways to try to engage our ecosystem."

Throughout, Apple has refused to say exactly how much money it is giving. "We’re not talking about a dollar commitment," Jackson says. "It’s substantial, but this is much bigger than dollars. It’s dollars, it’s equipment but probably most important, it’s our ecosystem and support."

This echoes Cook: "We have expertise in education. We’ve built an expertise of what our products can do in a teaching environment and how they can fuel student achievement. And we have touched a significant number of people with our coding initiative. Of course, we have an expertise in scaling and we have lots of people in different countries across the world. So, it seemed like the most important things to me are always the values and the vision. It seemed like we could bring a lot in support of Malala's vision.”

At the launch Malala added: "I'm hoping that through partnership with Apple we'll be able to expand our work and we want to double our Gulmakai champions, who are the local advocates who are supporting the students, from six to 11 countries. I want to teach 100,000 girls and I want to involve girls and make sure that they can get quality education."

Malala Yousafzai: her story so far Show all 30 1 /30 Malala Yousafzai: her story so far Malala Yousafzai: her story so far Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai, activist for female education, in Nigeria in 2017. She is the youngest ever Nobel prize winner. Reuters Malala Yousafzai: her story so far Attack on Malala - 2012 Pakistani hospital workers carry injured Malala Yousafzai, who was at the time 14, on a stretcher following an attack by gunmen in Mingora on October 9, 2012. The teenage Pakistani children's rights activist was shot in the head in an assassination attempt as she boarded a school bus in the former Taliban stronghold of Swat. AFP/Getty Malala Yousafzai: her story so far Malala gets treatment in the UK - 2012 Malala Yousafzai sits up in her hospital bed the Queen Elizabeth Hospital with her father Ziauddin and her two younger brothers, Atal Khan (R) and Khushal Khan (C), on October 26, 2012 in Birmingham. Malala, 15 at the time, was being treated in the UK after she was shot by the Taliban in Pakistan. Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham/Getty Malala Yousafzai: her story so far Simone de Beauvoir award - 2013 Ziauddin Yousafzai, the father of Malala Yousafzai,receives the 2013 Simone de Beauvoir award from Sylvie Le Bon de Beauvoir during the awards ceremony in Paris. The 2013 Simone de Beauvoir prize for the freedom of women was handed to Malala Yousafzai, who has become a symbol of the struggle for girls' education and women's rights in Pakistan. Malala was flown to the United Kingdom with a life-threatening head wound shortly after her attack. AFP/Getty Malala Yousafzai: her story so far United Nations Youth Assembly - 2013 Malala Yousafzai speaking before the United Nations Youth Assembly on July 12, 2013 at UN headquarters in New York. Malala became a public figure when she was shot by the Taliban while travelling to school in Pakistan - targeted because of her committed campaigning for the right of all girls to an education. The UN has declared July 12 "Malala Day", which is also her birthday. AFP/Getty Malala Yousafzai: her story so far Malala opens the new Library of Birmingham - 2013 Malala Yousafzai opens the new Library of Birmingham at Centenary Square on September 3, 2013. The new futuristic building was officially opened by Malala when she was 16. The new building was designed by architect Francine Hoube and has cost £189 million. The modern exterior of interlacing rings reflects the canals and tunnels of Birmingham. The library's ten floors will house the city's internationally significant collections of archives, photography and rare books as well as it's lending library. Getty Malala Yousafzai: her story so far International Children's Peace Prize - 2013 Malala Yousafzai receives a trophy from Yemeni Civil Rights activist and 2011 Nobel Peace Prize winner Tawakkul Karman after being honored with the International Children's Peace Prize at the Ridderzaal in the Hague, the Netherlands, on September 6, 2013. AFP/Getty Malala Yousafzai: her story so far The Leadership in Civil Society - 2013 Queen of Jordan, Rania Al Abdullah awards The Leadership in Civil Society to Malala Yousafzai, at the Clinton Global Citizen Award ceremony on September 25, 2013 in New York City. Timed to coincide with the United Nations General Assembly, CGI brings together heads of state, CEOs, philanthropists and others to help find solutions to the world's major problems. Getty Malala Yousafzai: her story so far Amnesty International Ambassador of Conscience Award for 2013 Malala Yousafzai receives the Amnesty International Ambassador of Conscience Award for 2013 from singer with rock band U2, Bono at the Manison House in Dublin on September 17, 2013. The Ambassador of Conscience Award is Amnesty International's highest honour, recognising individuals who have promoted and enhanced the cause of human rights through their life and by example. Malala Yousafzai is an advocate for equal access to education. AFP/Getty Malala Yousafzai: her story so far 'I am Malala' book release - 2013 Copies of an autobiography by Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai, entitled 'I am Malala' are pictured in a book store in London, on October 8, 2013. Co-written with British journalist Christina Lamb, "I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and was Shot by the Taliban" tells of the terror she experienced as two gunmen boarded her schoolbus on October 9, 2012 and shot her in the head. AFP/Getty Malala Yousafzai: her story so far Malala meets President Obama - 2013 Malala Yousafzai meets with US President Barack Obama, first lady Michelle Obama, and their daughter Malia Obama in the Oval Office on October 11, 2013. Getty Malala Yousafzai: her story so far Reception for Youth, Education and the Commonwealth - 2013 Malala Yousafzai gives a copy of her book to Queen Elizabeth II during a Reception for Youth, Education and the Commonwealth at Buckingham Palace in London on October 18, 2013. AFP/Getty Malala Yousafzai: her story so far Awarded honorary masters - 2013 Malala Yousafzai stands between British former prime minister Gordon Brown and university Principal Professor Timothy O'Shea as she receives an honorary masters degree from the University of Edinburgh during the first Global Citizenship Commission meeting at the university in Scotland on October 19, 2013. AFP/Getty Malala Yousafzai: her story so far Receives Sakharov human rights prize - 2013 Malala Yousafzai addresses the European Parliament assembly after receiving the EU's prestigious Sakharov human rights prize in recognition of her crusade for the right of all children, girls and boys, to an education. Malala became the 25th winner of the Sakharov prize at the ceremony significantly held on World Children's Day, with 21 of the former winners present. AFP/Getty Malala Yousafzai: her story so far Liberty Medal - 2014 Malala Yousafzai receives the 2014 Liberty Medal from Jeffrey Rosen, President and CEO of the National Constitution Center on October 21, 2014 in Philadelphia. Given annually, the medal honors men and women of courage and conviction who strive to secure the blessings of liberty to people around the globe. Getty Malala Yousafzai: her story so far World's Children Prize for the Rights of the Child - 2014 Malala Yousafzai receives the 2014 World's Children Prize for the Rights of the Child from Queen Silvia of Sweden during an award ceremony at Gripsholm Castle in Mariefred, western Stockholm on October 29, 2014. AFP/Getty Malala Yousafzai: her story so far Malala Yousafzai's blood stained school uniform - 2014 The blood stained school uniform of Malala Yousafzai on display at an exhibition at the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo on December 9, 2014. At 17-years old, the Pakistani known everywhere as Malala is the youngest ever recipient of the prize she is sharing with the Indian campaigner Kailash Satyarthi, 60, who has fought for 35 years to free thousands of children from virtual slave labour. Their pairing has the extra symbolism of linking neighbouring countries that have been in conflict for decades. AFP/Getty Malala Yousafzai: her story so far Nobel Peace Prize - 2014 Malala Yousafzai displays her medal during the Nobel Peace Prize awards ceremony at the City Hall in Oslo on December 10, 2014. AFP/Getty Malala Yousafzai: her story so far 'He Named Me Malala' film premiere - 2015 Director Davis Guggenheim, producer Walter Parkes and documentary subjects Malala Yousafai, Kainat Soomro, Kainat Riaz and Aansoo Kohli attend the "He Named Me Malala" New York premiere at Ziegfeld Theater on September 24, 2015 in New York City. Getty Malala Yousafzai: her story so far Supporting Syria - 2016 Pakistani activist for female education Malala Yousafzai addresses delegates during the fourth 'Thematic Pledging Session' during the 'Supporting Syria Conference' at The Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre on February 4, 2016 in London. World leaders gathered for the 4th annual donor conference in an attempt to raise £6.2bn GBP to those affected by the war in Syria. Getty Malala Yousafzai: her story so far Jo Cox memorial - 2016 Human rights campaigner Malala Yousafzai delivers a speech on stage during a memorial event for murdered Labour MP Jo Cox at Trafalger Square on June 22, 2016. On what would have been her 42nd birthday, Labour MP Jo Cox was remembered worldwide in a series of #moreincommon events. Getty Malala Yousafzai: her story so far Malala speaks to young refugees in Kenya - 2016 Malala Yousafzai introduces her father, Ziauddin as she addresses young refugees at Kenya's sprawling Dadaab refugee complex during a visit organised by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, in Garissa on July 12, 2016. AFP/Getty Malala Yousafzai: her story so far United Nations Messenger of Peace - 2017 Malala Yousafzai is presented a certificate from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres during a ceremony to name her as a United Nations Messenger of Peace at UN headquarters on April 10, 2017 in New York City. Yousafzai, who is the youngest winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, will now become the youngest to be named a United Nations Messenger of Peace. Getty Malala Yousafzai: her story so far Honorary Canadian citizenship - 2017 Malala Yousafzai shakes hands with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario on April 12, 2017. Nobel Peace laureate Malala Yousafzai becomes only the sixth person to receive honorary Canadian citizenship, advocating in a speech to parliament for women and girls' education - a cause dear to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. AFP/Getty Malala Yousafzai: her story so far Malala meets with students - 2017 Malala Yousafzai meets with students of the University in Arbil, the capital of the autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq, on July 11, 2017. AFP/Getty Malala Yousafzai: her story so far 20th birthday - 2017 Malala Yousafzai blows out candles on a cake on the eve of her birthday as she meets with students of the University in Arbil, the capital of the autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq, on July 11, 2017. AFP/Getty Malala Yousafzai: her story so far Malala calls for a "state of emergency for education" in Nigeria - 2017 Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai speaks with Nigeria's Acting President Yemi Osinbajo during her courtesy visit to the presidency in Abuja on July 17, 2017. Malala has called for a "state of emergency for education" in Nigeria, as she visited the country and met some of the Chibok schoolgirls whose cause she championed. The 20-year-old global education campaigner made the suggestion at a meeting with Acting President Yemi Osinbajo at the presidential villa in Abuja. AFP/Getty Malala Yousafzai: her story so far United Nations General assembly - 2017 Malala Yousafzai, Malawi's President Arthur Peter Mutharika and French President Emmanuel Macron attend the 72nd Session of the United Nations General assembly in New York on September 20, 2017. AFP/Getty Malala Yousafzai: her story so far Malala meets Macron - 2017 Malala Yousafzai speaks with French President Emmanuel Macron during the 72nd UN General Assembly on September 20, 2017. AFP/Getty Malala Yousafzai: her story so far Goalkeepers 2017 Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai speaks speaks at Goalkeepers 2017 in New York City. Goalkeepers is organized by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to highlight progress against global poverty and disease, showcase solutions to help advance the Sustainable Development Goals (or Global Goals) and foster bold leadership to help accelerate the path to a more prosperous, healthy and just future. Getty/Bill & Melinda

Back in January, a target for extending secondary education opportunities was announced. I ask Jackson how that's going. "We set the humble goal of reaching 100,000 girls in a year and I have no doubt that will be beaten. Apple has very much taken a supporting role in this, wanting to create something sustainable and which can be scaled.”

This time around there's a different approach, as Jackson explains. "There are more Gulmakai champions being added but we came up with an idea together that one of the things we could also add was the app ecosystem. We have 10 Apple Developer Academies in Brazil that have been there for a number of years. There are 500 students enrolled there now but hundreds more alumni, many of whom have just amazing stories and we’ve found that with these students at the app developer academies, we get great results when we frame things in terms of creating apps designed to change the world for the better."

This seems like a smart move: the Apple App Store reaches hundreds of millions of iPhone users, for instance, so the right app can make a real difference. App developers are ingenious at seeing things in a different way - and at Apple's World Wide Developers' Conference last month in San Jose, 75 students from the Brazil academies attended as scholarship winners.

Jackson says: "So, we thought, let’s get Malala’s vision in front of them. Today, she’s been to visit one of the 10 schools, one in Rio de Janeiro, to challenge them to develop apps that affect girls’ education. Then Malala Fund will work over the course of the year to adapt these apps to make them impactful and judge which ones they want to use. It really is an amazing part of the partnership that goes beyond the classic donation of money and really goes to the heart of what Apple is about, to empower a person, giving any person the tools to pursue their passion."

The challenge will also encourage students to find ways to better enable Malala Fund’s Gulmakai champions network around the world to "communicate and share best practices in a secure environment".