In this episode of Philanthropod, host Anubha Rawat sits down with Safeena Husain, the visionary founder of Educate Girls.

Safeena shares her remarkable journey, from growing up in Delhi under challenging circumstances, which interrupted her education, to a life-changing moment when a close family friend advocated for her schooling. After spending 10 years abroad, Safeena returned to India to start Educate Girls—a non-profit organisation dedicated to ensuring that every girl in the most remote parts of India is enrolled in school and learns well.

Anubha, who also grew up in India, brings a deep understanding of the cultural barriers girls face in accessing education, making this a compelling conversation. They explore the innovative community mobilisation strategies behind Educate Girls' success, including the creation of a network of 20,000 local gender champions. These volunteers tirelessly advocate for girls' rights and work to ensure that every girl has the opportunity to attend school.

Safeena reflects on the early lessons and hard-earned insights that have helped scale the organisation. They discuss the critical role of engaging boys and men in the mission, breaking down biases, and fostering a community-driven model that emphasises ownership and responsibility.

With a clear vision of success and a model centered on community ownership, Safeena explains how philanthropy has been the 'fuel' driving the organisation forward. She highlights the importance of unrestricted, flexible capital, which has been instrumental in enabling large-scale impact. Now, Educate Girls is looking to the future with an ambitious vision: the "10x10" initiative—educating 10 million girls over the next 10 years. With strong community support and backing from supporters, Safeena and her team are on track to make this vision a reality.

To learn more about Educate Girls, visit: www.educategirls.ngo/

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