New Delhi/Manila: An Indian non-profit working to improve access to education for girls in remote rural areas has been selected for the 2025 Ramon Magsaysay Award, the organisers announced on Sunday.
The Foundation to Educate Girls Globally, better known as Educate Girls, has become the first Indian organisation to be honoured with what is often called the “Asian Nobel Prize”. The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF), in its announcement, said the recognition was for the organisation’s “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.”
Founded in 2007 by Safeena Husain, a graduate of the London School of Economics, the group began operations in Rajasthan before expanding its work to some of India’s most disadvantaged regions. Husain, who left her career in San Francisco to return to India, described the honour as a milestone. “This recognition places a global spotlight on India’s people-powered movement for girls’ education, one that began with a single girl in the remotest village,” she said.
According to the RMAF, Educate Girls initially identified villages with the highest need, bringing out-of-school girls into classrooms and ensuring that they remained enrolled until completion. Over time, its outreach expanded to more than 30,000 villages, impacting the lives of over two million girls with a reported retention rate exceeding 90 percent.
In 2015, the organisation pioneered the world’s first Development Impact Bond in education, linking donor funding with measurable learning outcomes. The group also runs Pragati, an open-schooling initiative for young women between 15 and 29 years, enabling them to complete their education. The programme started with 300 learners and has now grown to over 31,500 participants.
Educate Girls joins two other awardees this year. Shaahina Ali from the Maldives was recognised for her dedication to marine conservation. The Foundation described her as “a passionate leader ensuring that her work will be carried on by another generation of Maldivians in search of effective local solutions to global problems.”
The third recipient, Flaviano Antonio L. Villanueva from the Philippines, a Catholic priest, was cited for his service to the poor and marginalised. RMAF noted his work in defending human dignity and providing funerals for victims of the government’s drug war, while continuing to advocate for justice.
All three honourees will receive a medallion bearing the likeness of President Ramon Magsaysay, a certificate with their citation, and a cash award. The 67th Presentation Ceremonies are scheduled for November 7 at the Metropolitan Theatre in Manila.
RMAF chairperson Edgar O. Chua said the laureates exemplify qualities that continue to inspire across Asia. “For 67 years, the Ramon Magsaysay Award has celebrated transformative leaders who have become enduring beacons for Asia and the world. This year’s recipients stand firmly by that proud tradition,” he remarked.
Notable Indians in the past who have received the award include Mother Teresa in 1962, filmmaker Satyajit Ray in 1967, former IPS officer Kiran Bedi in 1994, RTI activist Aruna Roy in 2000, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in 2006, environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk in 2018, and journalist Ravish Kumar in 2019.
The Ramon Magsaysay Award, established in 1957, honours individuals and organisations across Asia who demonstrate integrity, courage, and selfless service in their fields.with agency inputs