In what can be seen as a proud moment for the country, an Indian nonprofit organization, the Foundation to Educate Girls Globally, widely known as ‘Educate Girls’, has made history as the first Indian organisation to receive the Ramon Magsaysay Award, which is considered Asia’s equivalent of the Nobel Prize. It recognises selfless service and greatness of spirit in Asia. The 67th Ramon Magsaysay Award presentation is scheduled for November 7 at the Metropolitan Theatre in Manila.
'Educate Girls' has been named for Asia’s premier prize and highest honour 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," the RMAF statement said.
The NGO has enrolled over 1.1 million girls and impacted more than 15.5 million people across India. It brings out-of-school girls into classrooms, supports them to continue their education, and works to break cultural barriers that limit their opportunities. The NGO was founded by Safeena Husain to empower out-of-school girls in remote villages.
Husain, 54, founded ‘Educate Girls’ in 2007 in Rajasthan to empower out-of-school girls in remote villages. Safeena, a London School of Economics graduate, returned to India in 2005 from San Francisco with the aim of tackling female illiteracy.
“Being the first Indian non-profit to receive the Ramon Magsaysay Award is a historic moment for Educate Girls and for the country,” a news agency quoted Husain as saying.
“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 added.Safeena’s husband is a prominent personality, filmmaker Hansal Mehta, who has made movies on social issues, among other subjects.
‘Educate Girls’ was recognised for Asia’s premier prize and highest honour “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,” the RMAF statement added.
The organisation's CEO, Gayatri Nair Lobo, said, "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.
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