Manila (Philippines) : Educate Girls, the first Indian organisation to receive the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award, has dedicated Asia’s highest honour to the thousands of field coordinators, volunteers, and local youth mentors who tirelessly work to ensure that every girl in India has the opportunity to return to education and reclaim her future.
Founded in 2007, Educate Girls has spent nearly two decades breaking cycles of poverty and illiteracy, working in four States – Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Bihar – across more than 30,000 villages. With the support of over 55,000 community-based volunteers since its inception, the organisation has brought back to school more than 2 million girls and supported over 2.4 million children through its remedial learning program.
While accepting the award in Manila, Safeena Husain, Founder of Educate Girls, said, “This award is for our girls, who inspire us with their courage, grit, and resilience. Girls who manage household responsibilities and study late into the night to build brighter futures for themselves, their families, and their country. Through this recognition, we honour the parents, teachers, community members, and 55,000 Team Balika volunteers who stand alongside our girls every day. Their dedication shows that when communities come together to educate girls, every girl has opportunity, choice, voice, and agency.”
Gayatri Nair Lobo, CEO of Educate Girls, said, “This award is a reminder of the incredible power of people coming together — communities, governments, local partners, staff, Team Balika volunteers, philanthropists, and other supporters — united by one purpose to educate girls. It honours our collective efforts, innovative programs, and the government’s impactful initiatives. More importantly, it fuels our ambition for the next milestone: 10X10 — reaching 10 million learners by 2035. Millions of girls around the world are still waiting for their chance to learn, and we are determined not to let them wait any longer.”
In awarding Educate Girls, the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation recognised 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.”
Abdur Rahman, who joined Educate Girls in 2010 as the first employee at the Mumbai headquarters, travelled to Manila to attend the official ceremony. He reflected, “It has been an incredible journey for me and for the organisation. I’ve witnessed its growth just as I’ve seen millions of girls grow alongside us. I still remember walking from village to village in Pali, Rajasthan, meeting families door-to-door, and using a loudspeaker for Bhopu Prachar to mobilise young volunteers. Those volunteers became Team Balika — the backbone of our movement to shift mindsets and break barriers so every girl gets a fair chance. From those humble beginnings in a small village to standing on a global stage feels incredible.”
Balu Gawande, the office assistant who took his first international flight for the award ceremony, said, “As a parent of two girls, this mission is very close to my heart. It’s a proud moment to be part of the Educate Girls team receiving the Ramon Magsaysay Award and contributing to a movement that empowers countless girls across India.”
Educate Girls thanked Air India for sponsoring tickets for the first-time flyers — learners and volunteers — to travel to Manila for the award ceremony.
