Happy Spring Sunshine and Abundant Flowers to you,

Imagine for a minute.....what if...

YOU were born of your mother onto a thin straw mattress on the hard-packed dirt floor of a one room adobe. In the corner is a small rammed-earth stove fueled by animal dung and ready so that your mother can prepare a meal out of whatever is available for your sisters. Three used candles lie on the floor next to the stove for light at night. There is an empty basket for vegetables and nothing else. Her man is gone and now it is up to her to feed your two sisters (under three), plus you. She cries as she looks upon you sadly - another daughter. She believes all females are destined to suffer - if only you were a boy you would have a better life. This mother has no skills, she is uneducated and is unable to provide for children. She is desperate and might give YOU away.

This is not your story, but it is for some of our girls. Those of us women reading this did learn to read early and were educated. Women who can at least read have more possibilities and can learn skills to survive. Our girls will have much more with quality education !

Our students can READ and love to read to others..all thanks to you!!

Please watch for their progress in the CW monthly email updates, and on FaceBook.

Chicuchas Wasi school has been in session for 4 weeks and our new 4 & 5 year olds are looking at a book for the first time, fascinated. The older girls sometimes read to them and watch as their eyes open wide in wonder. Little by little they are learning to read and a whole new world is opening up to them. What they are learning can never be taken away. They will have choices, opportunities and skills for their futures. They are changing already with the newfound knowledge that they will have a better life than the women before them. The older girls demonstrate the confidence and self-esteem that CW preparation and education has given them as they help the little ones adjust to their dream come true.

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If you were thinking of donating to educate girls - APRIL 16th is the DAY to make your donation grow - MICROSOFT is supporting girls with their YouthSpark campaign with a 50% MATCH of all one time donations.

***If you sign up to do a recurring monthly donation - see the additional MS WOW BONUS below***

             Special 50% DONATION MATCH next WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16th
                                   START TIME IS 9am & ends 9pm (PST)

This is a RARE opportunity to grow your donation by 50% to fund education for undervalues girls. Microsoft & GlobalGiving have partnered with the 'MS YouthSpark' campaign and Chicuchas Wasi School will benefit.

                                                            DONATE 

Please consider donating on April 16th at 9am PST-funds will go fast. All donations up to $1000 will be MATCHED by 50% until the $100,000 available is gone. 

Click here to go to our Global Giving page April 16 9AM PST.

            ****Microsoft adds still another Bonus for April 16th****

MS will match 100% of NEW recurring monthly donations for the first 3 months if you start on WED. APRIL 16TH AT 9AM (PST).That is 100% of donation amount every month X 3 months PLUS the 50% match on APRIL 16th...if you were thinking about donating, this would be a good time. Just click on any donate button in this email to get to page and then click on orange DONATE. Choose the recurring donation choice below orange button.

 This is a lot to take in and all because MS has chosen to help projects for girls. Please do the math for one time and recurring donations.Thank you for hanging in there while I describe this incredible offer to you. Please set you calendars to alarm to remind you -Rae

 YOUR donation provides free education to 105 girls and is so greatly appreciated.

THANK YOU for caring about CW girls and giving them a better life.

Links:

• Official Chicuchas Wasi website
• GuideStar 'Gold Transparency' for Chicuchas Wasi
• REVIEWS for Chicuchas Wasi School on this site-click link

CW School is open for 2014

Everywhere summer vacation is anticipated as a fun time for school children, and Cusco children are no different. In Cusco summer school break is Dec. to March and gives everyone a welcome little rest, however, for the staff there are some things best done during this quiet time that cannot easily be dealt with during the busy school year.

Classroom and bathroom maintenance are some of those chores undertaken during this time when the school is otherwise closed. With only two weeks left until the start of school, our dedicated teachers decided to paint their classrooms in bright new colors: peach, lime, cream, orange, etc. to give a fresh new look to start the year. They showed up ready to paint their classrooms with their own vacationing children in tow. This is yet an another example of our incredible CW team and their enthusiastic spirit that filled the last days of Cusco summer with cheerful positive energy ready to begin again on March 3rd, the 2014 school year. Our teachers are well prepared educators and our students are the winners.

Our students are really THRIVING, thanks to YOU!!

On the first day of school the returning students line up for the assembly on the patio grounds and show the incoming kindergarten 4 & 5 year old girls the ropes. In January the teachers completed the curriculum work and all subjects are prepared and ready. Updated text/workbooks are waiting piled in every classroom and the walls are freshly painted bright cheerful colors to dazzle the incoming students, returning students in freshly laundered uniforms hug their classmates as deep bonds are reunited and all make ready for the year.

Administrator Ruth Uribe opens the beginning of CW school year 2014 with the traditional assembly line up, pledge to the flag and the national anthem. The teachers line up behind Ruth to welcome the students back to school and share important announcements for this year. The Peruvian Ministry of Education arrives the first week to introduce a few new additions to the curriculum they are requiring of all schools. The Cooks are busy with shopping, carrying the big sacks of rice, lentils, and other food items to the school, crossing several fields due to never-ending rain now the road to the school is impassible, from the main road with the help of some of the teachers and then preparing the first hot meal of the year.

Life is never dull at the CW school and spirits run high with enthusiasm no matter the challenges. Such is the ongoing way of life in Cusco.

**NOTICE:  Special 50% MATCH DAY April 16th**

RARE opportunity to grow your donation by 50% to fund the CW 2014 school budget. GlobalGiving (partnered with Microsoft's YouthSpark) to offer this big 50% MATCH.

Please click: DONATE HERE -click orange donate button on page

**Please consider donating on April 16th.**

All donations up to $1000 will be MATCHED by 50% until the $100,000. available is gone. Click here to go to our Global Giving page April 16. *9AM start time (PST)- end time is 9pm.

We are still trying to raise this years budget and your donation is greatly appreciated. Start time is 9AM PST and match money will go fast.

We all THANK YOU for your donations to give the gift of education to our girls.Their lives are changing already. 

Links:

• Chicuchas Wasi offical website
• GuideStar Gold Exchange rank for CW
• Many Reviews for CW on GreatNonprofits website