Bindhaya is my hero

Bindhaya is my hero

In 1998—my first trip to Nepal—I trekked to the base-camp of Mt. Everest. Yet, what truly changed my life on that trip was meeting Bindhaya.

While in Nepal, I was struck by the overwhelming poverty that kept so many youth from attending school. Thankfully, my aunt’s friend, Usha Acharya, had just returned to Nepal and, as luck would have it, she is one of the foremost child rights experts in Nepal. I asked Usha if there was a child I could help and she replied, “There is not a child, but there is a girl.”

Trevor and Bindhaya

At that moment, Usha opened my world to the added burdens facing women and girls throughout the world, and in Nepal in particular. I met Bindhaya and when her big brown eyes met mine, my heart melted. I committed on the spot to supporting her complete education through 12th grade.

That was the birth moment for the Little Sisters Fund (LSF).

Today, LSF partners with over 2,000 girls in 20 districts in Nepal by providing financial assistance to send the girls to school and 11 interlocking programs of support to help the Little Sisters spread their wings and soar!

What a moment of good fortune meeting Bindhaya was for me!

Fast forward 18 years and I could not be prouder of Bindhaya. She’s a staff nurse at Dhulikhel Hospital, which is one of the top hospitals in Nepal. Bindhaya is now 29 years old, is recently married, and has a one-year-old daughter, Encina.

Bindhaya (right) with Asmita, her Little Sister, and Usha

And after all these years, Bindhaya remains closely connected to LSF and is dedicated to ensuring the girls that come behind her have the same support and opportunities she was given. Bindhaya is a Mentor to 50 Little Sisters at two partner schools and is already paying it forward by sponsoring the education of another girl, Asmita.

Bindhaya is my hero.

What LSF has accomplished over the past 18 years did not happen in a vacuum. Thousands of individuals from around the world have joined us to provide safety, opportunity, and hope to financially disadvantaged and at-risk girls in Nepal by giving to the cause.

Our supporters are the true Unsung Heroes that make what we at LSF do possible. We are forever grateful for their trust, generosity, and love.

Namaste,

Trevor