Indian non-profit organisation Educate Girls has been awarded the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award, dedicating the honour to its 55,000 field coordinators, volunteers, and youth mentors who have played a critical role in bringing millions of girls in India back to school. Often described as Asia’s Nobel Prize, the award was announced on 31 August and formally presented at a ceremony held at the Metropolitan Theatre in Manila, Philippines.
Founded in 2007, Educate Girls works across more than 30,000 villages in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Bihar to address entrenched challenges of poverty and illiteracy. Through its extensive grassroots network, the organisation has enrolled over two million girls in schools and supported 2.4 million children through remedial learning programmes, making it one of the largest community-led education initiatives in the country.
Accepting the award, Founder Safeena Husain dedicated the recognition to the girls who continue their education despite significant social and economic barriers, highlighting their courage, resilience, and determination to build better futures. She also acknowledged the vital contributions of parents, teachers, community members, and the Team Balika volunteers, emphasizing that collective community action creates meaningful opportunities, choice, voice, and agency for every child.
Chief Executive Officer Gayatri Nair Lobo described the award as a testament to the power of collaboration between communities, innovators, and government systems. She noted that the recognition strengthens the organisation’s resolve to pursue its next major goal of reaching 10 million learners by 2035, underlining the urgency of expanding access to education for millions of girls still waiting for their chance to learn.
The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation praised Educate Girls for its commitment to challenging cultural stereotypes through girls’ education and empowering young women with skills, confidence, and agency to realise their full potential. Established in 1957, the award honours individuals and organisations that demonstrate transformative leadership and excellence of spirit, with recipients selected through a rigorous global nomination and evaluation process.
