Muhammad Jahirul Islam, Founder & Chairman at Ignite Global Foundation, has been named to the International Literacy Association’s (ILA) 2025 30 Under 30 list, which highlights emerging leaders who are transforming literacy education and promoting equity in classrooms, communities and beyond.
This global cohort features changemakers from 12 countries, all under the age of 30, who are driving innovations and advocating for accessible, inclusive learning experiences. Jahir, a 25 -year-old from Dhaka, Bangladesh, was honored for providing free schooling to more than 350 underprivileged children, organizing blood drives during emergency situations, giving out reusable menstrual products, and helping communities access safe drinking water— impacting over 500,000 people total.
Muhammad Jahirul Islam said
"Real change begins with educating the underprivileged, empowering the youth, and building unshakable resilience against adversity.
There is no shortage of accomplishments the Ignite Global Foundation (IGF) has achieved: providing free schooling to more than 350 underprivileged children, organizing blood drives during emergency situations, giving out reusable menstrual products, and helping communities access safe drinking water— impacting over 500,000 people total. For Muhammad Jahirul Islam, founder and chair of IGF, the work they do across education and health services is deeply interconnected.
“Providing quality education alone isn’t enough if a child’s health and well-being are compromised,” Islam says. “For children to truly benefit from education, they need to be healthy and feel safe. These areas—education, health, nutrition, and safety—are not separate pillars of our work but are interwoven to create a holistic approach to child development.”
The nonprofit has received prestigious awards for their contribution to the community including The Diana Award and United Nations Best Volunteer Group (they have had upward of 23,000 youth volunteers for the organization). Islam says seeing the young people they serve gain confidence because of the support provided by IGF is one of his biggest sources of pride.
He specifically calls out IGF’s program to integrate children with special needs into their inclusive education program. “Seeing these children flourish alongside their peers, breaking down barriers of discrimination, and proving that disability is not an inability has been incredibly fulfilling,” he says. “It’s a reminder that our efforts to create an inclusive environment are not just changing individual lives but also transforming societal attitudes.”
To explore the accomplishments of the 2025 honorees and learn more about ILA’s mission, visit literacyworldwide.org/30under30.
