By Diana Rae Lewis | Founder & President
Good news from Chicuchas Wasi School - Rae Lewis May 10, 2023
Incredible CW School Support:
In a recent school assembly for parents, Ruth requested a 'FAENA' (family work day) to cultivate food for the meal program. Mothers responded to the urgent need to harvest the early veggies: lima beans, beets, corn ad peas. Next day the fathers gather to harvest CW potatoes (5 months worth) and store them in the cellar they created. We are all are watching the intense weather changes as torrential rain-hail-drought change quickly and effect crops. Next our parents prepared the earth for the next planting. CW provided a lunch of tasty pasta, when finished the fathers all headed to the kitchen happily content to wash up the plates without a word.
CW's yearly special three-day academic in-service class was donated to CW by a progressive trainer from Lima. The entire team of teachers was energized and enthusiastic to implement the new ideas. for the teaching staff.
Our new Psychologist held a special interactive workshop for CW teachers to best support our girls when domestic issues are a suspected problem.
Problematic Issues
Covid returned to CW in April infecting 80% of our girls and families, and CW staff all tested positive for Covid. Symptoms were a low fever, cough and sniffles needing only about three days at home thanks to the vaccine. All CW classes resumed as students returned and studies quickly continued without more than a hiccough.
The Peruvian health department requires CW to report all cases and have all infected covid tested. Ruth was told that this will be the new Covid. The annual vaccines will protect against more serious outcomes.
Maria School opening was delayed again.
When Ruth received the final permission letter the end of March that Maria School could begin receiving Maria's first students, Peruvian school classes has been in session for nearly one month. Parent registrations were in February and long past to gain entry. Due to the closed ministry offices during the presidential impeachment-again Maria school missed the boat! Our frustration is beyond expression. We were counting on the tuition income to begin to fund our schools.
Ruth is the eternal optimist, with me lagging behind her lately. She is out talking to friends and potential Maria parents who were forced to register their children in any school they could find with the political chaos of the moment, so they grabbed what was available. She plans to begin to register parents this June so they can transfer their students to Maria ahead of the July/August semester break. Parents are allowed to transfer their students to our Maria school at that time; we plan to open two classes (Kinder grade and first grade) and be able to pay the two teachers already chosen to open Maria classes.
Please send prayers and DONATE to lift us past this final delay and hurdle. Maria school is beautiful and painted in popular modern colors to welcome students.
Please DONATE below on link
https://www.global.giving.org/projects/send-disadvantaged-rural-girls-to-school-in-peru/
POSITIVE UPDATE
Our local municipal region annually sends a medical team of one MD and three nurses to the CW school to monitor the growth and development of CW girls and to deliver and update immunizations during the annual childhood vaccine program (TB, polio, measles covid and pneumococcus against ovarian cancer) to our girls.
Also the University Dental School again sent students to apply fluoride, make brief oral evaluations and explain to the students how to do good oral hygiene. They demonstrate and helped the younger girls learn how to brush their teeth and gave them a toothbrush.
My N. Hemispheric spring is warm and sunny with rain here and there and the Cusco weather is about the same for now. All classes are in full operation with 100 students averaging 14 per class. The entire CW student body activities are happening outside on our patio, depending on the unpredictable weather lately. We seriously look forward to the patio roof cover that Gulf4Good.org has promised to fund this year with their fundraising adventure challenge to Machu Picchu, open and inviting again. After the long delay due to Covid and Peru's political unrest the last four years, we are grateful that this will still happen. Thank You Gulf4Good.com!
IN CASE YOU MISSED THE MARIA SCHOOL PLAN:
Unfortunately, unpredictable delays to enroll NEW MARIA students have raised concerns about securing funds towards the annual budget for the FREE CW school for girls and to pay the start up operation expenses (2 teacher salaries) and utilities depending on how many students transfer to Maria for August.
HOW THIS PLAN WILL WORK
First the lower grades will begin to fill with new students. These students will progress up to the next grade level every year. The funds raised from tuition paying students will help us achieve a vibrant co-ed quality primary school and achieve economic independence for years to come.
Any donation amount will help
The CW transition period that has finally arrived to achieve financial independence for CW free education for poor girls for many generations and the new co-ed school Maria plan. Please DONATE below on link:
https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/send-disadvantaged-rural-girls-to-school-in-peru/
REALITY TODAY
I have five months to raise $78K to fund CW School budget through Dec 2023. Donations are down and a possible funding shortfall to meet the CW budget this year will make us cut more corners. The new school tuition ($7,500 per teacher/per year) so remaining 1/2 year should cover the two teachers for the entry students (the last one semester this year)
Thank you all for standing with us and the CW students as we together climbed over the hurdle of the last three years. We have the best teachers and CW team who have become incredibly empowered women, really impressing us all with their united solidarity to confront the many obstacles that we have had. We expect to achieve the same success at the Maria School. Several CW lead teachers have offered to help start up the Maris School with their leadership skills to prepare our new teachers in our empowerment based style of education.
Why Maria School plan will support both schools soon.
Links:
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