Trevor Patzer’s journey from scholarship recipient to global education advocate began with a trek through Nepal in 1998. Now, 26 years later, as Little Sisters Fund co-founder and executive director USA, he and Usha Acharya lead a cross-barrier and gender-focused organization: Little Sisters Fund, an organization dedicated to empowering girls to stand up for themselves against discrimination and gender-based inequalities. 

LSF tirelessly provides educational opportunities for at-risk girls in Nepal. The organization takes a holistic approach anchored in child protection and education. The scholarship programs fight to remove the first barrier to education— the cost—and primarily work to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty. LSF supports all Little Sisters with 12 supplemental programs that ensure the girls advance academically and beyond. 

The organization’s mission stems from Patzer’s own life-changing experience as a 16-year-old when a family friend’s generosity supported his education at St. Paul’s School in New England. “Ever since my time at SPS, I’ve had a deep desire to ‘pay it forward’ by similarly supporting the education of others,” Patzer explains. 

During a 1998 Nepal trek, Patzer met Usha, an education and human rights expert. When he asked about sponsoring a child’s education, Usha’s response was pivotal: “There is not a child; there is a girl.” Usha, also Little Sisters Fund co-founder and executive director, Nepal has an extraordinary intellectual path and extensive experience in civic organizations. Her life experience inspires the entire purpose of the organization. Forced to leave home at a young age, she was ultimately able to attend school, where she excelled academically and took full advantage of her educational opportunity.

Like Patzer, Usha knows that a simple opportunity in education can change lives. That is the driving force behind Little Sisters Fund, beginning with the first Little Sister: Bindhya. She’s now a nurse who has sponsored two Little Sisters herself, exemplifying the program’s ripple effect.

Today, Little Sisters Fund supports over 2,300 Little Sisters in 22 districts in Nepal through multidimensional support programs, including mentoring, counseling and awareness-raising, higher education opportunity funds, financial assistance for technical trade school, preventive and emergency healthcare, menstrual health management, mobile libraries, community projects, merit-based scholarships for universities in Nepal, alumni development, and educator training programs. The impact is profound: Little Sisters enroll in higher education at rates four times Nepal’s national average.   

“Girls who would not have completed high school, and in many instances middle school, are now doctors, teachers, engineers, dentists, nurses, accountants, entrepreneurs, and nonprofit leaders,” Patzer says proudly. These girls have avoided dropping out of school, marrying early, and having children at a young age, breaking the cycle of poverty forever and becoming cornerstones of their communities. 

Now, after a decade in Edgewater, Maryland, with his family—wife Mari and daughter Sofie—Trevor and his family have inspired their community. While the organization hasn’t yet held local events, Patzer is eager to involve neighbors. “We’re always looking to broaden our impact both in the USA and Nepal,” he says. 

For those wanting to make a difference, Patzer suggests sponsoring a Little Sister. “The best way to create safety through education and opportunity is by supporting our efforts in Nepal,” he explains. “$225 supports tuition, books, supplies, mentoring, and health care for one girl for a year.” 

For all inquiries, you can contact Little Sisters Fund at: