Little Sisters Fund
Nepal is a country of breath-taking beauty, rich culture, and warm, welcoming people. But there can be major challenges and dangers for girls from poor families. Thousands are trafficked each year, with many of them ending up in brothels or child labour in India or elsewhere. Even if they remain at home, they will be the least likely to receive an education and some will be victims of violence.
With the right help and support at the right time, though, the most vulnerable girls can have safe, happy and successful lives, become leaders and contribute to their families and communities. Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary-General and Nobel Peace Prize recipient, said "… there is no tool for development more powerful than the education of girls and the empowerment of women."
LSF was established in 1998 by Usha Acharya based in Nepal, and by Trevor Patzer based in USA. These two have led the organisation ever since. In 2009 LSF won the ‘Unsung Heroes of Compassion’ award from His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The ‘Coordinating Mentors’ programme commenced in 2006. The organisation currently supports around 2100 girls. Full details are available from its website: https://littlesistersfund.org.
Little Sisters Fund founder, Usha Acharya, and key staff
Why focus on Girls?
Girls in Nepal are less likely to receive an education than boys. About 25% of the population in Nepal lives on less than $1.50 per day, and when funds are tight it is invariably the girls who miss out. In rural areas, 2 in 5 girls are married by the age of 14, and more than 70% have dropped out of school by age 16. As a result, only 43% of females can read and write. About 30% of Nepali girls are engaged in child labour, and 10,000-15,000 girls are trafficked each year. Of course, boys need education too. But teachers in Nepal told me ‘When you educate a boy you help the boy. When you educate a girl you educate the whole family.’ ‘Drawdown’, a major study of the 100 best ways to mitigate climate change, found that educating girls was near the top of the list, partly due to its effect in slowing the birth rate in developing countries. Population growth in Nepal is very rapid. Educated girls tend to marry later and have fewer but healthier babies, whose prospects in life will be better.