My Nonprofit Reviews

I met Rae Lewis over 25 years ago in Sonoma, Ca, when she had this wild idea about starting a non-profit to help needy street children in Cusco, Peru. The challenges of starting such venture in Urubamba was not a barrier to this amazing woman. Without knowing much about the place and what to do, she forged ahead with the belief that her mission was worthwhile pursuing. She has learned a great deal about Peruvian bureaucracy, about being a foreigner starting a non-profit in Cusco, and about sharing her vision with a committed group of worldwide supporters who have helped realize her vision over the years. Rae recruited Ruth Uribe, an exceptional school director whose extensive educational experience, deep understanding of the plight of children in the Andes and fierce defense of quality education for all children has build the foundation for this dream school. Ruth is a motivational and able administrator who oversees a team of truly devoted teachers. After many years of growing the roots of Chicuchas Wasi, Rae has finally realized the construction of a school for girls. It is a dream school because in the Andes, poor families do not send girls to school, and their hopes for an education is lessened by a system that does not provide the educational impetus to empower girls to succeed with the belief that they can becoming a professional, an engineer, a lawyer, a professor, a doctor, even a president. The multiple obstacles that female students face to attain a post-secondary education are greater, and their education is not as important as their male counterparts. Chicuchas Wasi has created strong educational ripples that have touched many deeply. We have seem the growth and development of these children into intelligent, complex and strong human beings with an urge to help others, with the support of a global family. Chicuchas Wasi is an example of an organization whose heart and hands are for and by the people of Cusco and the region, but whose eyes and ears are for all to share and contribute to the dream. This is an exceptional organization that deserves your care in whatever way you can offer it because it will continue to break new ground in the education of children for years to come. Luis Kong, EdD.

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