An Indian non-profit, Educate Girls, has etched its name in history by becoming the first Indian NGO to win the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award 2025, widely regarded as Asia’s equivalent of the Nobel Prize. The recognition comes in honour of the organisation’s groundbreaking work in bringing millions of out-of-school girls into classrooms and improving learning outcomes for children in some of India’s most underserved villages.
Founded in 2007 by social activist Safeena Husain, the organisation has so far enrolled more than 2 million girls and positively impacted learning for 2.4 million children across 30,000 villages, supported by a network of 55,000 community volunteers. The award, announced by the Philippines-based Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF) on Sunday, celebrates Educate Girls’ ability to confront entrenched gender stereotypes, reduce dropout rates, and offer girls the tools and confidence to break cycles of poverty.
Reacting to the honour, Gayatri Nair Lobo, CEO of Educate Girls, described it as both “historic and humbling,” while Husain called it a moment that shines a global spotlight on India’s people-powered movement for girls’ education. Officials and leaders across India, including Nagalakshmi Choudhary, Chairperson of the Karnataka State Commission for Women, hailed the award as a matter of immense national pride. The formal award ceremony is scheduled for November 7, 2025, in Manila.
The Ramon Magsaysay Foundation’s citation highlighted how Educate Girls has “liberated young women from the bondage of illiteracy, instilled courage and skills, and restored agency to countless lives.” The organisation’s strategy hinges on grassroots mobilisation through community volunteers known as preraks, who identify out-of-school girls, enrol them in government schools, and ensure they remain in the education system through remedial support.
One of Educate Girls’ pioneering contributions is its 2015 Development Impact Bond (DIB), the world’s first results-based funding model for education. Under this pay-for-performance system, the NGO secured resources based on measurable outcomes such as enrolment and learning improvements, beginning with 50 villages before scaling to multiple states. In addition, it launched Pragati, a programme for girls and women aged 15–29 who were denied formal schooling, which has expanded from 300 participants to over 31,500 learners.
The NGO has set its sights on impacting 10 million lives by 2035, expanding to regions like the Northeast and sharing its blueprint globally. Its model has been integrated into India’s National Education Policy 2020, underscoring its role in systemic reform.
Educate Girls’ recognition adds a new chapter to India’s legacy of Ramon Magsaysay laureates. Since 1958, over 50 Indians—from Vinoba Bhave and Mother Teresa to Satyajit Ray, Arvind Kejriwal, and Sonam Wangchuk—have been honoured. Yet, Educate Girls is the first Indian NGO to be recognised, symbolising the growing importance of collective, community-driven efforts in social change.
The Ramon Magsaysay Award, instituted in 1957 and named after the seventh President of the Philippines, honours individuals and organisations in Asia for integrity, public service, and transformative leadership. It includes a medallion, citation, and a cash prize of about USD 50,000.
This year, alongside Educate Girls, the award also went to Shaahina Ali of the Maldives for marine conservation and Rev Flaviano Antonio L Villanueva of the Philippines for his humanitarian work with families of extrajudicial killing victims.
