Teacher Training Programs from Little Sisters Fund

A longtime educator and graduate of Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, Cissy Lewis most recently served as assistant head of school and academic dean at Castilleja School in Palo Alto, California. Apart from her professional commitment to education, Cissy Lewis supports charitable organizations such as the Little Sisters Fund, which provides scholarship opportunities for disadvantaged girls in South Asia.

Among numerous initiatives to make education more accessible to girls in Nepal, the Little Sisters Fund operates a primary education training program for teachers at the organization’s partner schools. By training Nepalese teachers to combine multi-sensory and child-based techniques with more traditional methods, Little Sisters Fund aims to cultivate an educational environment of collaboration and group learning. A cost-effective way to encourage curiosity and love of learning in the classroom, teacher training programs emphasize critical thinking skills and give teachers the tools to more effectively reach between 50 and 100 students daily.

How the Little Sisters Fund Improves the Lives of Nepalese Girls

Cissy Lewis is a distinguished educator who previously held the role of interim head of school at Castilleja School in Palo Alto, California. In addition to her current work as an independent educational consultant, Cissy Lewis supports the Little Sisters Fund.

Founded in 1998, the Little Sisters Fund aims to help economically disadvantaged girls in Nepal rise above their conditions of poverty and oppression to make better lives for themselves. To avoid the all-too-common traps of child marriage, trafficking, and labor, the fund offers girls several different programs, such as long-term scholarships to pay for school uniforms, books, supplies, and their full tuition at private schools. Other initiatives include awareness-raising campaigns and instruction in proper hygiene to maintain health.

The Little Sisters Fund also partners with 70 government-operated and semi-private schools throughout 18 districts of Nepal, enabling them to cover school costs for underserved girls. Currently, over 1,500 girls are enrolled in this program.

The Amazing Splendor of Machu Picchu

Respected educator Cissy Lewis has taught in a variety of settings. Outside of her work, Cissy Lewis has traveled to many different continents, including South America.

One of the most popular destinations within South America is Machu Picchu. This historical landmark is located in Cuzco, in Peru. Tourists from all over the world flood this area during the summer months. There are more than 5,000 steps leading up to the peak of Machu Picchu, which hundreds of thousands of individuals climb every year to view the region and the impressive stone monuments. The entire site spans a 5-mile distance. Regardless of its popularity, though, little is known about this lost Incan city.

The American historian Hiram Bingham discovered this lost city in 1911. Then, he found more ruins on the Inca Trail when he went back a few years later. Scientists have since identified more than 100 skeletal remains and 50 burial sites. Machu Picchu is considered to have been a sacred religious site for the leaders of the Incas.

Several theories exist to explain the creation of this city. One of the more prominent theories is that the city was founded to preserve Incan culture during the last years of the civilization.