Featured BiographyImage source: StarsUnfolded
Quick Info
Date of birth21 January 1971
Age51 Years (as of 2022)
BirthplaceNew Delhi, India
ProfessionSocial Activist
NationalityIndian
Marital statusMarried
SpouseHansal Mehta
FamilyTwo daughters: Kimaya and Rihanna
Safeena Husain Biography
Safeena Husain is an Indian social activist and entrepreneur best known for founding Educate Girls, an organization focused on closing the gender gap in,er
Early life and backgroundSafeena Husain was born on 21 January 1971 in New Delhi, India. She grew up in the city and attended Delhi Public School, R. K. Puram. She later traveled to London for higher education and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics and History from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Her education also includes executive programs at Harvard Business School, where she completed coursework in 2012 and additional executive education in 2015.
Career
After finishing her studies in London, Safeena moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in the mid-1990s and worked briefly for an internet startup that aimed to build a 3D web browser. Soon after, she joined Child Family Health International, where she spent nearly a decade and rose to the position of Executive Director. Her work with CFHI took her to countries including Ecuador, Mexico, Bolivia, South Africa and India.
Safeena returned to India in 2007 and founded Educate Girls, a nonprofit dedicated to improving girls’ enrollment, retention and learning outcomes across rural parts of the country. Under her leadership, Educate Girls developed community-based programs that recruit and train local volunteers—referred to as Balika Volunteers—to support girls’ education in villages and schools. The organization also pioneered the use of a Development Impact Bond to fund measurable education outcomes, a model that drew attention internationally.
Educate Girls expanded its partnerships and programs over time. By 2021 the organization reported enrolling more than 950,000 girls and reaching over 11.5 million beneficiaries. Its workforce and volunteer network had grown substantially, with over 2,000 full-time staff and about 15,000 community volunteers working across its programs. During the COVID-19 crisis in 2020, Educate Girls launched a relief initiative to provide rations and hygiene kits to vulnerable rural households.
Beyond leadership at Educate Girls, Safeena serves in advisory and governance roles for several organizations in the education and social sector. Her affiliations include advisory work for the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, India Leaders for Social Sector, EdHeroes and other initiatives. She is a member of Dalberg’s Quality Council and holds positions with other networks and boards focused on education and social impact.
Public profile
Safeena’s work has been recognized with multiple awards and honors. Her recognitions include the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship and the WISE Award, among several national and international prizes. She has been named to influential leader lists and received awards from Indian and global institutions for her contributions to girls’ education and social entrepreneurship.
Her public speaking has included a TEDx presentation in 2019 that reached a large online audience, and an appearance on the televised series Ted Talks India: Nayi Soch. Educate Girls has also entered formal partnerships with government bodies and private sector brands, including a memorandum of understanding with the Rajasthan government’s Directorate of Women Empowerment and collaborations with corporate partners.
Personal life
Safeena is married to film director Hansal Mehta; the couple formalized their marriage on 22 May 2022 in San Francisco. They have two daughters, Kimaya and Rihanna. Safeena’s family background includes her father Yusuf Bakshish Husain, who is noted as an actor and historian.
Safeena has spoken openly about difficult periods in her early life and how personal experiences helped shape her commitment to education and gender equality. She has described the influence of close family members on her views about equality and shared leadership values.
Latest updates
Educate Girls continued to be active in 2021 with large-scale programs, government partnerships and recognition in education rankings. The organization’s enrollment and beneficiary numbers, expansion of staff and volunteer networks, and its COVID-19 relief work were among the recent highlights cited for that period.
Safeena remains publicly engaged as a social entrepreneur, advisor and speaker, continuing to advocate for girls’ education and scale models that combine community engagement with measurable outcomes.
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Recent Work
Founded and scaled a nonprofit focused on girls’ enrollment, retention and learning outcomes; launched a Development Impact Bond and partnerships with government and corporate partners.
2007–presentCareer Highlights
- Founded Educate Girls and expanded it to reach over 11.5 million beneficiaries by 2021
- Pioneered the world’s first Development Impact Bond for education outcomes
- Recipient of international and national awards including the Skoll Award and WISE Award
- Advises multiple education and social sector organizations and serves on councils and boards
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Frequently Asked Questions
When was Safeena Husain born?
Safeena Husain was born on 21 January 1971.
What is Safeena Husain known for?
Safeena Husain is known for social Activist.
What is Safeena Husain’s marital status?
Safeena Husain's marital status is listed as Married.
Who is Safeena Husain married to?
Safeena Husain is publicly listed as married to Hansal Mehta.
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