New Delhi | August 31, 2025

Indian non-profit organisation Educate Girls has created history by becoming the first Indian organisation to win the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award, often referred to as Asia’s Nobel Prize. The award, announced on Sunday by the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF), recognises the NGO’s pioneering work in educating out-of-school girls in remote and underserved villages of India.

The 67th Ramon Magsaysay Award ceremony will be held on November 7 at the Metropolitan Theatre in Manila, Philippines, where awardees will receive a medallion bearing the likeness of former Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay, a citation, and a cash prize.

Breaking Barriers for Girls’ Education

Founded in 2007 by Safeena Husain, a London School of Economics graduate, Educate Girls started its journey in Rajasthan. Husain, who had returned from San Francisco with a determination to tackle female illiteracy, identified communities most in need and worked to enrol out-of-school girls into classrooms while ensuring they stayed until completing basic education.

The organisation has since expanded its reach to more than 30,000 villages across India’s most underserved regions, directly benefiting over two million girls. With a retention rate of over 90 percent, Educate Girls has successfully demonstrated that large-scale change in education is possible when backed by community engagement and accountability.

Pathbreaking Initiatives

One of the NGO’s most notable contributions was the launch of the world’s first Development Impact Bond (DIB) in education in 2015. This innovative financing model tied funding directly to measurable outcomes in learning and school enrolment. Starting with just 50 pilot village schools, the programme eventually scaled to thousands of villages, drawing international attention to the effectiveness of outcome-based models.

In addition, the organisation runs Pragati, an open-schooling initiative designed to help young women aged 15 to 29 complete their education. Beginning with 300 learners, the programme now supports over 31,500 participants, offering them skills, confidence, and access to lifelong opportunities.

Global Recognition

The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation lauded Educate Girls for “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.”

While several Indians have individually received the Ramon Magsaysay Award in the past, Educate Girls is the first Indian organisation to be honoured. This year’s other awardees include Shaahina Ali from the Maldives for her environmental work and Flaviano Antonio L Villanueva from the Philippines for his efforts to uplift the poor and marginalised.

A Milestone Moment

The recognition marks a milestone in India’s fight against female illiteracy. For Husain and her team, the award is not only a validation of nearly two decades of relentless work but also a powerful reminder of the transformative impact education can have on society.

As the spotlight turns to Manila in November, Educate Girls stands as a beacon of hope, demonstrating how empowering girls through education can break cycles of poverty and unlock human potential at scale.