Educate 120 Girls in Cusco for Economic Survival

YOU raised $16,000 toward the Chicuchas Wasi School budget, PLUS the possible $5,000 in bonus money if we hold our #2 and #1 ranks. We began this GG challenge April 1, with a $49,000 budget shortfall to fully fund CW's $131,000 budget for 2013. With your donations and the bonus $$ we lower our shortfall to $28,000.  You did this!  Every one of our 115 students will benefit from your generosity.

NEW SURPRISE GlobalGiving BONUS DAY--15% Donation Match -- April 24 12:01 am EST (The allocated $3,000 runs out in a few hours.)

 http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/educate-a-poor-girl-cusco-for-economic-family-survival/?rf=ggWidget

At CW school for undervalued girls we emphasize empowerment and self-confidence. This past week CW tackled a long held belief by uneducated rural men and women: “women have not voice, nor vote.”  Rural women have been taught that they are inferior to men and destined to suffer from hunger, poverty, rape, beatings, and inability to care for their children because they are women. Women believe that they have no power to make decisions to change the gender inequality that keeps them impoverished and silenced.

To provide our students with greater understanding, CW school Director Ruth organized a CW school election to elect a school Mayor. Every class nominated a candidate, and that class helped their candidate prepare for the debate against the other 8 candidates. A moderator was chosen to keep order and monitor the time allocated for candidate to speak. The stage was set like an actual debate setting and props were loaned to CW by the Government org that oversees elections. The debate was presented to all 115 students to listen, learn and to think about so they might make a good choice for school Mayor. Secret ballots were filled out and the Mayor was chosen. Every girl student is finding her voice and how to use it, and our students will know how and why they must vote to bring equality to all indigenous women and girls of Cusco.

We are changing the lives of poor indigenous girls little by little, and YOU are making it possible.

Links:

• Chicuchas Wasi Facebook page
• Chicuchas Wasi website w/history and photos

• Sonoma Sun Newspaper article on CW - March 2013 (PDF)