NGO Educate Girls becomes first Indian non-profit to win Ramon Magsaysay Award

An Indian non-profit organisation, Foundation to Educate Girls Globally, has been named a 2025 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee. The organisation works to mobilise community and government resources for girls’ education in rural and disadvantaged areas of India. 

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The Foundation, better known as Educate Girls, is the first Indian organisation to receive this award, which is regarded as Asia’s equivalent of the Nobel Prize. Founded in Rajasthan in 2007 by Safeena Husain, the organisation has been working to ensure that girls who are unschooled or have dropped out are brought back into classrooms and supported until they can pursue higher education and employment.

Other 2025 awardees include Shaahina Ali from the Maldives for her work in environmental protection and Flaviano Antonio L. Villanueva from the Philippines. Each recipient will receive a medallion, a certificate and a cash prize. The 67th Ramon Magsaysay Award ceremony will take place on November 7 at the Metropolitan Theatre in Manila.

In its press release, the Ramon Magsaysay Foundation highlighted that Educate Girls identifies the most underserved communities, focuses on enrolling out-of-school girls, and ensures they remain in school.

“its commitment to addressing cultural stereotyping through the education of girls and young women, liberating them from the bondage of illiteracy and infusing them with skills, courage, and agency to achieve their full human potential,” the RMAF said.

Safeena Husain, founder of Educate Girls, said the organisation remains dedicated to breaking the cycle of illiteracy and poverty for girls.She said by scaling our programs, deepening government partnerships, and embedding community-led solutions, we strive to create a brighter, more equitable future with motto “one girl at a time”.

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This motto captures their mission of driving change through grassroots action, government collaboration, and individualised support to overcome barriers such as poverty and household responsibilities, while also fostering a cultural shift that recognises girls’ education as a fundamental right.

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