By Diana Rae Lewis | Founder & President
Happy July Ends and New Worries begin -Rae Lewis July 27, 2022
CW girls love school and learning and are easily engrossed in the daily school routine. A rare surprise this month was a three week visit from Yoga Teacher, Elaine, who came from New Zealand to visit Cusco, CW School and teach the girls English,Yoga and Meditation; enthusiasm is an understatement for the joyful emotions of the girls (see photos). The teachers are busy with normal class activities and special programs, they also daily reinforce the covid precautions: mask, handwashing and distance for school and home life and not one case among them. See photo of the graduating class --color guard transfer to next promotion girls.
CW survived the two year home-school during the Covid crisis pretty well. CW also provided emergency food staples for our 100 families unable to work and afford food for those two years. Amazingly, CW administrator Ruth also managed to finalize the Cusco fundraiser project ‘Maria School’ construction in 2020. Unfortunately, Covid and the Gov. order to continue home school derailed our plan to enroll Maria students in 2020 and the delay ate up our new school set-up funds.
In 1987 when CW was founded, I promised to share CW successes and difficulties encountered going forward. After 35 years managing the mostly smooth and lately bumpier years, Ruth and I have hit a snag. After 30 + years working together -Ruth supervised the building of both the CW school and the Maria School while I manage the administrative and fundraising work in California, and if a problem appears we put our heads together to find the solution. Today Ruth and I are burning up the phone lines to solve the new financial hurdle.
Our perfect plan to shift Cusco funding to Peru - but not yet
CW has prepared well: both schools are constructed well and provide large classrooms and necessities for the long term, and our staff and teachers are ready with new additions picked for the Maria School. The nonprofit ChicuchasWasi.org owns them both outright and we are ready, BUT we have just hit a bumpy road full of potholes: The new Maria School's modest start-up funds are gone, post covid donations are down, and the loss of a hoped for special grant to finance the transition of California fundraising to Cusco fundraising. The tuition from the ‘Maria School’ ( ready to begin enrolling boys and girls for a quality college prep school) is ready to open March 1, 2023. Rae submitted the grant proposal to fund the start-up costs to transition to ‘Maria School’ financial self-sufficiency. The granting entity has decided to hold off on all grants: still recovering post covid there are few grants available. We have tightened our belt- English and art classes on hold until funds allow, but daily school meal and school bus programs continues. CW School will not close, BUT we must transition the future funding to the Maria School project and need secure funds to do so.
The Grant that almost was
The funding we need will pay 3 classroom teachers the first and second year and grow the Maria student body as students move a grade up and new students enroll. The loss of the hoped for start-up funding is a now a big pot hole in our self-sufficiency plan going forward. The ‘Maria tuition school’ will generate good income to support its operation and with full enrollment also the budget of the CW free School for Girls. We will have success. The Cusco parents who demand quality private school education for their college bound children, plan to educate them at very competitive foreign and national universities. We really need your donations for this last move to success in Peru. This is the perfect business for CW.org as the demand is huge after covid closed down many private schools in rented buildings
You made CW possible and share the 35 years success of Chicuchas Wasi Org. nonprofit. This is the moment and the last couple of years to guarantee the promise of CW longevity and free education for poor indigenous girls in Cusco, Peru. We are so close I can almost touch it. Financial independence for CW School for Girls is in reach! The ‘Maria co-ed tuition-based School’ will not only raise the funds to support the free CW school for girls and the Maria school – we will be providing quality education for boys and girls with our open arms and value strong style. Empowerment for our forgotten girls and respect for all is what both schools promise along with quality education for confident young students going forward. So please help us make this slow shift to self-sufficiency in Cusco, Peru. Our CW team is ready! California is ready! And our students and families are ready too.
PLEASE DONATE Today
https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/educate-110-poor-girls-in-cusco-for-economic-survival/
As the founder of CW in 1987, I have become increasingly and sadly aware that most of the nonprofit projects I knew in Cusco have had to close down due to Covid or when the founder could not continue to raise needed funds as she aged or the founder died. Fortunately, I am healthy and continue to write to you all each month from my home office in California. But I am a realist: next year I will be 80 and must keep the promise I made to the children that CW will be able to welcome many more little girls like our students and alumnae for generations to come. Ruth and I co-founded the CW school (she the teacher and I the nurse) have worked together for 30 years. Anyone who has met Ruth knows she is a powerhouse at 55 years, and will take CW forward for years to come. She has already begun grooming Gloria to follow here one day. This fact gives me peace of mind, plus I quite able to manage my part in CW CA.
Please dig deep to help us get the start-up process started. Below are the numbers that you will help you understand. I have made them as clear as I can, all thanks to our efficient California board Treasurer and Bookkeeper Isabel
The 2022 Chicuchas Wasi School budget was $156,560.00. we are still raising for last 3 months of school. On August 1, 2022 we have a $42,000 bank balance. Please see the wheel image breakdown.
*Five years ago we began saving for a serious emergency (my death and the only fundraiser) and have $180,000.00 untouched in a different bank. Watching my friends close down their 25 yr projects was upsetting. Not being grim, but a practical person must prepare for unforeseen events-it matters to our CW girls and team.
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Proposed 2023 Chicuchas Wasi School Budget $158,908.40
Included: school meals and transportation for each year.
Proposed 2024 Chicuchas Wasi School Budget $ 161,292.03
Funds above are needed to operate CW School the next 2 years while Maria start-up operation gets going.
Approximate budget is minimal to begin Start-up Maria school (3 classrooms/3 teachers, maintenance of school and utilities) As student numbers grow so will the income from tuition for the operations of the school.
Approximate Maria start-up budget is $25,000. per year
is minimal to begin Start-up Maria school (3 classrooms/3 teachers, maintenance of school and utilities) As student numbers grow so will the income from tuition for the operations of the school.
Many blessings to us all for a brighter, pandemic free new reality.
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By Diana Rae Lewis | Founder & President
By Diana Rae Lewis | Founder & President
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