An Indian non-profit organization, Educate Girls, has been awarded the 2025 Ramon Magsaysay Award, marking a historic moment as the first Indian organization to receive this prestigious honor. The Ramon Magsaysay Award, often called Asia's equivalent of the Nobel Prize, celebrates individuals and organizations that demonstrate exceptional courage and selfless service in Asia. The award will be presented at a ceremony in Manila on November 7.

Founded in 2007 by Safeena Husain, Educate Girls focuses on enrolling and retaining out-of-school girls, particularly in underserved regions of India. The organization works to combat cultural stereotypes and empower girls through education, providing them with the skills and confidence to reach their full potential. Husain, a graduate of the London School of Economics, returned to India from San Francisco to address the issue of female illiteracy.

Educate Girls began its work in Rajasthan, identifying communities most in need of girls' education. The organization has mobilized over 55,000 volunteers across more than 30,000 villages to help girls in rural India return to school. Their efforts include finding girls who are not in school, helping them catch up in reading and math, and collaborating with local communities to change perceptions about girls' education. So far, Educate Girls has helped two million girls return to classrooms and supported remedial learning for 2.4 million children. The organization also launched the world's first Development Impact Bond in education and Pragati, an open-schooling program for young women, impacting millions and achieving high retention rates.

The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF) recognized 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".

Safeena Husain, the founder of Educate Girls, expressed her gratitude and reflected on the significance of the award: "Being the first Indian non-profit 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". She further added that the award acknowledges the millions of girls who have reclaimed their right to education.

Gayatri Nair Lobo, CEO of Educate Girls, also commented on the award, stating, "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".

The other 2025 Ramon Magsaysay Awardees include Shaahina Ali from the Maldives, who is recognized for her environmental work and ocean conservation efforts, and Flaviano Antonio L Villanueva from the Philippines, who is honored for his work to uplift the poor and marginalized. Each awardee will receive a medallion bearing the likeness of President Ramon Magsaysay, a citation, and a cash prize.

The Ramon Magsaysay Award, established in 1957, is presented annually to individuals and organizations in Asia who have made outstanding contributions to their societies. The award celebrates transformative leadership and selfless service.