On August 31, 2025, the Indian Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) Foundation to Educate Girls Globally (FEGG), popularly known as Educate Girls, was announced as one of the recipients of the 67th Ramon Magsaysay Award, becoming the first Indian organisation to receive this prestigious honour.
- Educate Girls has been named for its commitment to addressing cultural stereotyping through the education of girls and young women.
Exam Hints:
- Event: Ramon Magsaysay Award 2025
- Edition: 67th
- Winners: Educate Girls(1st Indian NGO), Shaahina Ali(Maldives), Flaviano Antonio L. Villanueva(the Philippines)
- Launched: 1958
- Honours Include: Medallion, citation certificate, and USD 50,000 cash prize
About Educate Girls:
Overview: Educate Girls was founded in 2007 by Safeena Husain in Rajasthan.
Vision: It aims to achieve behavioural, social and economic transformation for all girls towards an India where all children have equal opportunities to access quality education.
Goal: The goal is to improve access and quality of education for 10 million (mn) learners cumulatively by 2035.
Development Impact Bond (DIB): The organisation launched the world’s 1st DIB in education in 2015, aimed at tying financial aid to outcomes.
Growth: Starting with 50 pilot village schools, the initiative has grown to encompass more than 30,000 villages in India’s most underserved regions, benefiting over two million girls and maintaining a retention rate exceeding 90%.
Pragati: It is an open-schooling programme introduced by Educate Girls, to enable young women aged 15-29 to complete their education and access lifelong opportunities.
- The programme started with 300 learners and has since expanded to over 31,500 participants.
2025 Ramon Magsaysay Awards winners:
Other 2025 Awardees:The other 2025 winners were Shaahina Ali from the Maldives for her environmental work and Flaviano Antonio L. Villanueva from the Philippines for his efforts to uplift the poor and marginalised.
Award Ceremony:The winners will be presented with their awards at the 67th Ramon Magsaysay Award Presentation Ceremonies at Metropolitan Theatre in Manila on November 7, 2025.
2025 Recipients:
| Awardee / Organisation | Country | Recognition |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation to Educate Girls Globally(FEGG) (Educate Girls) | India | Promoting girls’ and young women’s education |
| Shaahina Ali | Maldives | Environmental leadership in marine conservation |
| Flaviano Antonio L. Villanueva | Philippines | Service to marginalized communities and the poor |
About Ramon Magsaysay Award:
Background: Asia’s highest honour was launched in 1958, recognises and honours individuals and organisations in Asia, regardless of race, creed, gender, or nationality, who have achieved distinction and have helped others generously without aiming for public recognition.
Founding Purpose: It was founded to preserve former Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay’s example of integrity in governance and idealism in a democratic society.
Honours Conferred:Each winner will be conferred with:
- A medallion bearing the likeness of President Ramon Magsaysay,
- A certificate inscribed with their official citation, and
- A cash prize of USD 50,000
Indian Recipients: Dr. R. Ravi Kannan (2023); Ravish Kumar (2019); Bezwada Wilson (2016); Anshu Gupta (2015); Arvind Kejriwal (2006); Mahasweta Devi (1997); Satyajit Ray (1967); Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay (1966); Mother Teresa (1962); Vinoba Bhave (1958).
About Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF):
The RMAF is an international wholly independent non-profit organization (NPO) that manages the Ramon Magsaysay Award, pursuing the objective of “honoring greatness of spirit in selfless service to the people of Asia.”
Chairperson – Edgar O.Chua
Headquarters – Manila, Phillipines
Established – 1957
