We Made History

We are humbled and honoured to share that Educate Girls has made history as the first Indian organisation to receive the Ramon Magsaysay Award.

This award is a collective win. It belongs to everyone who has stood up for girls’ education: the government and local communities, our Team Balika volunteers, our Preraks, our Board, our partners, donors and supporters. Most of all, it belongs to the millions of girls who still fight every day for their right to education. Join us in celebrating this historic milestone.

“Being the first Indian nonprofit to receive the Ramon Magsaysay Award is a historic moment for Educate Girls and for the country. 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 and grew to reshape entire communities, challenging traditions and shifting mindsets. This Award honours our dedicated Team Balika volunteers, valued partners, passionate gender champions, and supporters, and acknowledges the millions of girls who reclaimed their right to education. As we work to reach 10 million learners in the next decade and share this blueprint beyond India, we carry forward a simple truth that when one girl is educated, she takes others with her, multiplying change across families, generations, and nations,” said Safeena Husain, Founder, Educate Girls, reflecting on this milestone.

“At Educate Girls, we believe that education is one of the greatest levers for development. But above all, education is every girl’s fundamental and inherent right. This prestigious award recognises the transformational change that is possible through partnerships with the government, philanthropic institutions, corporations, and grassroots communities, working together to tackle societal and systemic barriers and promote equitable and accessible education for girls everywhere. We are deeply grateful to the Government of India for its phenomenal initiatives that have made this possible. Warm congratulations to our fellow awardees, Shaahina Ali and Fr. Flaviano Villanueva, whose work inspires us all,” added Gayatri Nair Lobo, CEO, Educate Girls.

Being the first Indian organisation to receive this award is an honour and a responsibility. It shows the world that when we invest in girls’ education, change begins with one girl in one village, and that change can grow to transform entire communities. It reminds us that equity is possible when every girl has the chance to an education.