FAQs
Why does the Little Sisters Fund support only girls?
The Little Sisters Fund’s commitment to the education of girls came about for a number of reasons. First, throughout much of the world, women are not afforded the same opportunities as men. In Nepal for example, 80% of men can read and write while less than 35% of women can. Secondly, it has been proven time and time again that the education of females is a powerful means for change and is a huge return on your investment. In fact, former Secretary General to the United Nations, Kofi Annan, stated in 2003, “We know there is no tool for development more effective than the education of girls and the empowerment of women.”
What difference does it make?
People often ask what difference it makes to support the education of one girl. The easiest way to answer that question is to imagine being in the shoes of a girl who cannot go to school because of financial hardships. Since you’re not in school, you are many times more susceptible to the evils of child labor (working 12+ hours a day in back-breaking manual labor). Since you’re not in school, you are many times more susceptible to the evils of child marriage where statistics state that over 10% of girls in rural Nepal 8 years old or younger have been married or are “promised,” and 40% of girls 14 years old or younger are married. Or since you’re not in school, you are many times more susceptible to the evils of child trafficking, including the international sex trade where you may be abducted between the ages of 7 to 16, beaten into submission, chained to a bed, and forced to service 20+ clients a day until you’re too sick from STD’s and HIV to work. Once you’ve reached this point, you are dumped on the street, forced to live a destitute life, and most likely die – all by the age of 25.
Where does the money go?
Money donated to the Little Sisters Fund goes toward the Little Sisters. Our small overhead is covered through foundational support, endowment appreciation and overhead-specific grants by individuals, foundations or corporations.
Why do you ask for the full 8-10 years of financial support up-front or in the first few years of support?
We ask for the full support of a Little Sister up-front – or in the first few years – for many reasons. The main one being that situations change, and when we accept a new Little Sister into the program, we commit to her full education which may span 6, 8 or even 10 years. Because of this commitment, we need to ensure funding for that Little Sister for the duration of her education. That is why we ask for a one-time $3,000 contribution or $3,000 over three years ($1,000 a year for the first three years) to ensure the education of an Individual Scholarship Program Little Sister. Or a $1,500 donation to support a School Scholarship Program Little Sister. In this way, the full schooling of each accepted Little Sister is promptly secured.
What if I don’t have the disposable income to support the full education of a Little Sister up-front?
Any and all gifts go a long, long way in providing safety, opportunity and hope to the Little Sisers. If you don’t have the ability to support the complete education of a Little Sister up-front, we will pool multiple donations together until they collectively can support the education of one Little Sister. Or, if you would rather support the cost of books, uniforms, or any other need you can direct your contribution to that end.
Why do you ask supporters not to send gifts or money to the Little Sisters?
We ask supporters not to send gifts to maintain equality throughout the program. If one Little Sister receives a watch or a $20 bill, it is not fair to the hundreds of other Little Sisters who did not receive the same gift. Additionally, a gift of money may actually endanger a Little Sister in that when she tries to exchange it for Nepalese Rupees, it will draw unwanted attention to her. To address this desire to give gifts, we give all Little Sisters similar gifts a couple times a year and at graduation from the Fund. Additionally, anyone can “earmark” a donation to the Little Sisters Gift Fund and we will apply that money towards gifts or an ice-cream outing or the like.
How do you keep your overhead so low?
The Little Sisters Fund fully supports over a thousand Little Sisters on long-term scholarships but keeps overhead to a bare minimum. We do this by empowering and employing in-country local staff. We do not have US office space and have only one employee in the US. We do have full-time employees in Nepal, but salaries in Nepal range from $80 to $600 a month for local staff where $600 a month is an very good salary. We also rely heavily on the older Little Sisters – those who have been in the program for a number of years – for their insight, leadership and guidance. This model of operations requires far fewer full-time employees and is much more dynamic and cost-effective.
How often do US Fund Administrators visit Nepal for Fund oversight?
The US based administrative director visits Nepal twice a year for in-country oversight. Board Members also travel to Nepal occasionally at their own expense for fund oversight.
How do I help?
The best way to help is to donate to the Little Sisters Fund either directly by sending a check, via PayPal.com or JustGive.org on the “Donate Now” page.
Do you accept volunteers?
We have had volunteers in the past. Given the nature of what we do – paying for education vs. running a school ourselves – direct hands-on volunteer experience is generally not in the Little Sisters Fund office. Instead, we have very strong relationships with a number of Kathmandu’s top schools. We are best set up to help teachers find positions in these schools for 6 months or more. Additionally, we have great relationships/partnerships with a number of Nepalese orphanages where volunteers get a ton of hands on exposure/experience with the kids. Under either of these programs, volunteers are invited to attend Little Sisters Fund meetings and outreach programs.
To make a donation via the Internet using your credit card, simply click on the link to JustGive.org below:
