TEACHERS are the BACKBONE to EDUCATE GIRLS in Peru

Time really flies when you do what you love. It is hard to believe that Chicuchas Wasi (CW) just completed it's 30th year serving the children in need in Cusco, Peru. Our history is way too long for this news update (please see http://www.chicuchaswasi.org/our-history/  After 10 years providing emergency shelter for abandoned children, we realized that we could do more, and to improve the lives of these children, we needed to look at the cause of child abandonment and poverty. Poor GIRLS must be educated. CW reorganized in 1997 to provide primary school education for rural indigenous girls. They will have opportunities their mothers never dreamed of and be able to survive economically and provide for their children if needed. CW has come a long way and so have Ruth Uribe (school Administrator) and I over our 29 years working together. Our loyal and hardworking CA board members all bring talents that have made CW successful over the years. We are an amazing team - all of us together make up CW.

Above image: 2017 Board of Directors: Isabel Craft, Mary Salfi, Betty Woods, Rosa Lewis (CW family since 1987), Rae Lewis (Founder) and Ruth Uribe (co-founder of CW school)

Below images: Pictured first is the Cusco lead team with Gloria (CW staff since 1996-Assistant Director), Rae (CW Founder) and Ruth (School Director). Ruth and I began our work together in 1988 when she was a teacher at a local primary school in Cusco and volunteered with CW on weekends. Ruth quit her teaching position soon after and quickly became a guiding force for the future of CW. Gloria joined our staff in 1990 at 18 years of age while earning her teaching credential. Many children came through our doors as residents and even more participated in our vocational training program so the children could create art to sell for survival. During that time we observed that some of the children were serious about their dreams of a healthy financially independent future. Our three shining stars of that period are pictured below: Hipolito and Efrain with me, and Rosa at her hospital nursing job. With the love and support of CW and CW financial help with higher education they all have achieved their dream. Below they are pictured with their families. Rosa's holds her adorable 10 day old baby. All three are finding success on their own adult journey. Many of the other children that came through our doors over those 10 years are today restaurant owners, taxi drivers and working responsible family members today.  

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In 1997 the CW School for Girls opened its arms to welcome girls unable to attend school due to poverty and also the commonly held belief that it was unnecessary to educate a girl. Our first class had 13 girls. We began small with 1 classroom, then 2 and then 4 until we could not grow more in the small rented space we had. We were visited around 2010 by a group of European donors who appreciated Ruth's small academic school. They spoke at length with Ruth and soon we realized a dream come true, when in 2013 we opened our newly constructed CW Primary School for Girls, with their generous donation and filled every grade level.

Ruth created the curriculum and trained the teachers to the CW standard that included values, quality academics, the arts and most of all LOVE.  Our new teachers quickly fell in love with the CW style of education and the energy of love and cooperation that fill the air at CW. The next image here is of our teachers dressed in costume to perform for our 115 students with song and a playful interactive dance chain with the girls for the 'International Day of the Teacher'. The CW teaching staff provide intense learning opportunities, but include fun engaging experiences like this one for all to enjoy. 

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                                     *PLEASE DONATE*

               GIVING TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28 (MATCHING)

https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/educate-110-poor-girls-in-cusco-for-economic-survival/

We have a NEW SPECIAL PROGRAM created by our Psychologist, Alejandro, who is working with all of the 115 CW girls individually as needed, in groups and with their parents to call attention to domestic abuse and dysfunction in their homes that have come to our attention. We have seen much improvement since it began last September thanks to YOU, our donors. This program was originally created for our 37 graduates who now attend high school but have found life outside of CW extremely difficult and impossible for some to stay in high school without CW. They requested support and CW delivered. Our Psychologist, Alejandro, has created CW group sessions at his home for the high school girls-who remain part of the CW family.

In the final image 2 4y/o girls share their GRATITUDE for improved health and their education.

                                                  THANK YOU
 

Links:

• Official website for Chicuchas Wasi school for girls.