In India, approximately 40 per cent of girls encounter significant barriers to education, including socio-cultural norms, economic constraints, and inadequate infrastructure, limiting their prospects for a brighter future. UNICEF reports that around 30 per cent of girls drop out before completing secondary education due to socio-economic challenges, early marriages, and insufficient access to quality learning facilities. These alarming statistics highlight the urgent need for innovative solutions and strong leadership to drive change. Recognising this, the Government of India emphasised girl-child education in the 2024 budget, allocating ₹1.48 Lakh Crore to the education sector—a 30 per cent increase. This additional funding is pivotal in enabling women to realise their potential in education and the labour markets, central to uplifting women and strengthening rural communities.
Beyond governmental efforts, several visionary leaders have dedicated themselves to empowering girls through education. This article highlights exceptional founders who have established organisations transforming the educational landscape for girls in India. Through their unwavering efforts, they are breaking barriers, empowering communities, and fostering sustainable change.
Educate Girls
Safeena Husain
Safeena Husain, founder of Educate Girls, is a social entrepreneur committed to improving educational outcomes for girls in underserved and rural areas of India. Understanding the socio-cultural and economic barriers preventing girls from attending school, she developed a community-centred approach to address these challenges. Since its founding in 2007, Educate Girls has empowered millions of girls, providing access to quality education.
A key initiative, Team Balika, consists of local volunteers who identify out-of-school girls, enrol them in school, and provide academic support. These volunteers not only motivate parents to prioritise education but also mentor girls to overcome academic challenges and excel.
Educate Girls implements a three-pronged strategy:
1. Identification of Out-of-School Girls: Using government data and surveys, the organisation identifies girls who are not attending school and maps their locations with the Out-of-School-Girl (OOSG) index.
2. Community Mobilisation: Educate Girls engages local leaders, parents, and teachers to raise awareness and build trust around the importance of girls’ education. This approach addresses socio-cultural barriers and ensures sustainable change.
3. Improving Learning Outcomes: The organisation focuses on quality education by providing a curriculum in literacy and numeracy. This helps students make measurable progress in academic performance.
Educate Girls has enrolled over 1.8 million girls and improved the learning outcomes of 2.2 million children across 29,000 villages in states such as Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. By partnering with the government, it has extended its programmes to some of India’s most remote areas.
The success of Team Balika is driven by rigorous training for volunteers, who act as change agents within their communities. They help girls attend school and thrive academically by fostering supportive environments and monitoring progress.
Innovatively, Educate Girls introduced a Development Impact Bond (DIB), a results-based funding model that ties financial support to measurable outcomes, ensuring accountability and maximising the effectiveness of donor contributions.
Safeena Husain’s leadership stems from her belief that educating girls is key to breaking the cycle of poverty. Her work has earned recognition, including the Nari Shakti Puraskar, India’s highest civilian honour for women, and accolades from organisations like the Skoll Foundation and the World Economic Forum. Through her efforts, Educate Girls has set a benchmark for scalable, sustainable, and impactful educational interventions, positively affecting both individual lives and entire communities.
Pratham
Dr. Rukmini Banerji
Pratham, founded in 1995, is one of India’s largest NGOs dedicated to improving education for underprivileged children. With a focus on quality learning, it has reached millions across India. Under Dr. Rukmini Banerji’s leadership, Pratham has concentrated on addressing gaps in girls’ education, particularly in literacy and numeracy, through evidence-based approaches to enhance learning outcomes.
Key Focus Areas
Improving Literacy and Numeracy: Pratham’s Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) programme boosts girls’ reading and math skills, closing educational gaps and building confidence.
Community Engagement: Involving local communities—parents, teachers, and leaders—to support girls’ education and overcome cultural and social barriers.
Focused Interventions for Girls: Providing academic support, mentorship, and life skills training to help girls stay in school and complete their education.
Achievements and Impact
Dr. Banerji pioneered the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER), a vital tool for identifying literacy and numeracy gaps, particularly among girls in rural India.
Pratham has impacted over 75 million children, reaching marginalised communities where education is otherwise inaccessible.
Pratham’s TaRL methodology has gained international recognition and is being adopted in countries like Kenya, Zambia, and Côte d’Ivoire, demonstrating its global success.
Dr. Rukmini Banerji’s Leadership
A Rhodes Scholar and former University of Chicago faculty member, Dr. Banerji leads Pratham with data-driven, community-focused strategies, improving learning outcomes for millions, especially girls.
Innovative Programmes for Girls
Pratham offers vocational training and digital literacy, empowering adolescent girls with life skills for economic independence and breaking the poverty cycle.
Vision for the Future
Under Dr. Banerji, Pratham continues to transform education by focusing on foundational learning and community engagement, helping disadvantaged girls build a brighter future.
K.C. Mahindra Education Trust
Sheetal Mehta Walsh
The K.C. Mahindra Education Trust (KCMET), founded in 1953, is one of India’s most prominent philanthropic organisations, dedicated to transforming lives through education. Under the leadership of trustee Sheetal Mehta Walsh, the Trust has specifically focused on empowering underprivileged girls, ensuring they have the academic and personal tools to succeed.
Sheetal Mehta Walsh advocates for a holistic approach to education, blending traditional academic teaching with mentorship, life skills training, and modern tools. Her vision aims to prepare girls for a brighter future by addressing their overall development.
Key Initiatives and Programmes
Nanhi Kali Programme: In partnership with the Naandi Foundation, Project Nanhi Kali provides quality education to girls from economically disadvantaged communities, aiming to reduce dropout rates. It offers:
Academic Support: Learning materials, books, uniforms, and after-school tutoring to bridge gaps in subjects like math and language.
Digital Learning: E-learning modules and digital devices to equip girls with tech skills, fostering self-reliance.
Holistic Development
Sheetal Mehta Walsh focuses on more than academics by emphasising the overall growth of girls through:
Extracurricular Activities: Engagement in sports, arts, and cultural programmes helps boost confidence and nurture creativity.
Life Skills Training: Workshops on health, hygiene, gender equality, and financial literacy prepare girls for real-world challenges.
Community Engagement and Advocacy:
Project Nanhi Kali engages parents, communities, and school authorities to overcome cultural barriers like early marriage and gender bias that hinder girls’ education.
Achievements and Impact
• Over 500,000 girls benefited.
• Significant reduction in dropout rates by addressing systemic issues.
• Digital tools ensure girls in underserved areas are not left behind.
• After-School Support Centres provide remedial classes, interactive learning, and mentorship, fostering emotional well-being and peer networks.
Sheetal Mehta Walsh’s Vision
Sheetal advocates for education as a tool for social change, empowering girls to transform their lives and communities. Her leadership at KCMET creates a model for girls’ education, promoting equality and social inclusion.
Shiksha Seva Foundation
Ravi Kant
Ravi Kant, a passionate Indian social activist and educator, is a leading advocate for girls’ education in rural India. As the founder of the Shiksha Seva Foundation, he has dedicated his life to ensuring that girls from marginalised communities gain access to quality education. His commitment aims to break the systemic and cultural barriers preventing girls from attending school and empower them to envision a better future.
Vision and Mission
Ravi Kant believes education is a powerful tool for transformation.
His mission through the Shiksha Seva Foundation is to:
Enrol out-of-school girls and reintegrate them into formal education systems.
Address high dropout rates by tackling socio-economic factors and gender biases.
Build a sustainable education model using community resources while raising awareness about the importance of educating girls.
Key Initiatives and Programmes
Enrolment Drives and Outreach Programmes: The Foundation conducts community outreach, including door-to-door advocacy, to address misconceptions and simplify enrolment for out-of-school girls.
Resource Support and Scholarships: Ravi provides scholarships and essential school supplies to alleviate financial barriers to girls’ education. Schools are equipped with digital tools, and girls are granted access to e-learning platforms to bridge the digital divide.
Mentorship and Counselling
The Foundation places strong emphasis on mentorship where local mentors provide guidance to help girls navigate academic and personal challenges.
Workshops are held often to inspire girls to explore career opportunities beyond traditional roles.
Infrastructure Development
To improve the learning environment, Ravi has focused on enhancing school infrastructure in rural areas by constructing safe classrooms, providing clean water, and building separate toilets for girls have helped reduce dropout rates.
Achievements and Impact
Thousands of out-of-school girls have been enrolled into formal education.
Targeted initiatives have lowered dropout rates in the areas served.
Ravi has created a cultural shift in rural communities, encouraging greater acceptance of girls’ education.
Challenges and Resilience
Ravi overcame cultural resistance, patriarchal norms, and resource limitations through a community-driven approach, creating lasting change.
A Brighter Future
Ravi envisions all rural girls completing education, empowering them for a more inclusive, equitable India through the Shiksha Seva Foundation.
Teach For India
Shaheen Mistri
Shaheen Mistri, the Founder and CEO of Teach For India (TFI), has become a leading advocate for educational equity in India. Since its inception in 2009, Teach For India has worked to address the vast disparities in educational opportunities across the country. As part of the global Teach For All network, the organisation recruits and trains talented young professionals to teach in under-resourced schools for two years, delivering quality education to children in underserved communities.
Vision and Mission
Shaheen’s vision is rooted in the belief that education is a fundamental right and that every child deserves access to excellent education, regardless of their socio-economic background.
TFI’s mission is twofold:
To improve learning outcomes in underserved schools through a dedicated cohort of Fellows.
To inspire Fellows to champion educational equity in various sectors after completing their fellowship.
The Teach For India Model
TFI recruits top graduates as Fellows, who undergo rigorous training in pedagogy, leadership, and cultural sensitisation to teach and mentor in underprivileged schools.
Impact on Students
TFI focuses on fostering critical thinking, creativity, and confidence in students, beyond academics. By providing quality education, TFI empowers students to pursue better career opportunities and break the cycle of poverty.
Leadership Beyond the Classroom
Many TFI alumni continue to drive change in the education sector, founding schools, NGOs, and policy initiatives, or taking leadership roles in government and corporate sectors focused on education reform.
Key Achievements and Impact
TFI has impacted 38,000+ students, improving learning outcomes, with many pursuing higher education and successful careers.
Over 4,000 alumni are driving educational change, in policy and NGOs.
Partnerships and Advocacy
TFI has partnered with governments, corporations, and nonprofits to expand its reach and advocate for systemic education reforms.
Shaheen Mistri’s Philosophy
Shaheen believes education is the great equaliser, requiring both systemic change and individual commitment for transformation.
Shaheen envisions expanding TFI across India, inspiring a movement of educators, policymakers, and leaders committed to educational equity.
The Path Forward
These visionary leaders exemplify the profound impact of strong, dedicated leadership in advancing girls’ education and transforming lives and communities across India. Their innovative approaches and tireless advocacy demonstrate that investing in girls’ education is not only ethical but also a pragmatic imperative for development. As India continues to strive for gender equality and educational reform, the work of these leaders offers a beacon of hope. Through their continued dedication, we can anticipate a more educated and empowered generation of young women, poised to contribute meaningfully to society.