A note from Seva's Executive Director about COVID-19

We are weathering a storm together. The COVID-19 pandemic is reshaping the world and our lives every single day. We want you to know that in these difficult and uncertain times, our resolve to end avoidable blindness remains steadfast.

We are working with our partners worldwide to ensure that they have the support they need for their own safety as well as their staff and patients as they provide urgently needed emergency eye care. We are focused on resuming the full range of eye services: surgeries, glasses, medications and other care to meet local needs when it is safe to do so.

Today and everyday, Seva's work does not stop during this challenging time. Our teams world-wide are working tirelessly and remotely so that when this difficult time has passed, we are ready. Ready to transform lives by restoring sight.

It is our responsibility as individuals to flatten the curve and slow the spread of the virus. We encourage you to take the extra precautions necessary to safeguard your own health as well as the well being of those around you.

Yours in Service,

Kate Moynihan
Executive Director

PS – Seva's partners have been proactive in implementing measures to limit the spread of Coronavirus. Here's how they're keeping patients, staff, and communities healthy.

What We Do

Our Focus

Our Priorities

Where We Work

According to the WHO, at least 1 billion people in the world have a vision impairment that could have been prevented or has yet to be addressed.

Since 1978, Seva has been working to transform lives by restoring sight in communities with little or no access to eye care. Today, Seva has evolved into a highly effective organization, working with partners in over 20 countries to increase the capacity of local hospitals, and develop sustainable eye care programs.

Thanks to the support of our donors, Seva and our partners provided vital eye care services to more than 2.8 million people in the last year alone. Seva's vision is a world in which no one lives with treatable blindness. With your help, we can make that vision a reality. Learn more.

Our Focus

Build Capacity

Partnering with local hospitals and institutions to improve infrastructure and increase the volume and quality of eye care services means that people will have access to care long after Seva’s involvement has ended.

Surgery

Low cost, high-quality surgeries cure blindness. Over 50% of blindness is caused by cataracts which can be cured by a 15-minute surgery costing as little as $50.

Glasses

Eye care can change lives immediately. A pair of glasses can bring the world into focus and open the door of opportunity: students can read and learn and adults can work and care for their families.

Medical Treatment

Access to the most basic eye care medicine can make a world of difference to people and families. Connecting people in remote communities with the medicine and treatment they need can prevent blindness before it happens.

Our Priorities

Gender Equity

More than half of people living with blindness and visual impairment are women and girls. In developing countries, women and girls are far less likely to have access to eye care services because of the barriers they face. From lack of education and financial resources to limited decision-making power, Seva and our partners help women and girls overcome barriers.

Training

Sustainable eye care programs can only develop if there is training at every level of eye care from the community health volunteer to the highly skilled ophthalmologist. Seva Foundation supports a variety of strategic training initiatives to develop local providers and increase knowledge in low-income countries.

Sustainability

At Seva, we look for long-term solutions. Our ultimate goal is for each program we support to become financially self-sufficient without the need to rely on donations or foreign support for their everyday work. This sustainable approach ensures that communities are provided with ongoing access to eye care.

Universal Access

In an effort to reach the historically marginalized and underserved, Seva brings high quality eye care knowledge and resources to the farthest corners of the globe. By breaking down barriers to access, we work to ensure the power of sight is within everyone's reach.

Care for Children

An estimated 1.4 million children live with blindness around the world and another 19 million are visually impaired. Most of these kids live in areas of the world where even the most basic eye care services continue to be out of reach. Combatting child blindness is one of the most cost effective health interventions and kids who have their sight restored are given an average of 50 years of sight.

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Seva Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)3 charitable organization. All contributions are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

Where We Work

Our Program Partners

Aravind Eye Care System, India
CHEF International, Pakistan
Divino Niño Jesús, Peru
Dr. Shroff’s Charity Eye Hospital, India
First Nations Community HealthSource, New Mexico, USA
Fundación Visión, Paraguay
Grameen Healthcare Services, Bangladesh
HV Desai Eye Hospital, India
Instituto Mexicano de Oftalmología, Mexico
Ispahani Islamia Eye Institute and Hospital, Bangladesh
Kilimanjaro Centre for Community Ophthalmology, Tanzania
Kham Eye Center, China
Kewa Pueblo Health Corp, New Mexico, USA
LV Prasad Eye Institute, India
Magrabi Foundation, Egypt
Medical Action Myanmar, Myanmar
Menominee Tribal Clinic, Wisconsin, USA
Mettashin Foundation, Myanmar
National Program for Eye Health, Cambodia
Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh, Nepal
Oklahoma City Indian Clinic, Oklahoma, USA
Quasem Foundation, Bangladesh
Sadguru Netra Chikitsalaya, India
Southcentral Foundation, Alaska, USA
Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute, New Mexico, USA
United Indian Health Services, California, USA
University of Michigan, Michigan, USA
University of Washington, Bothell Educating Young Eyes (EYE) Center, Washington, USA
Visualiza Clínica Médica Oftalmológica, Guatemala
Vivekananda Mission Asram Netra Niramay Niketan, India
Yangon Eye Hospital, Myanmar

In addition to these partners, we support capacity building in over 90 hospitals around the world.

Our Offices

Seva Foundation, Berkeley, CA, USA
Seva Canada Society, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Seva Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal
Seva Cambodia, Battambang, Cambodia

Our Strategic Partners and Program Initiatives

“Seva has given so much help to so many thousands of people for so many years — such a wonderful example of love in action.”

Bonnie Raitt
Singer / Songwriter

"For nearly 40 years Seva has made an extraordinary contribution to the world — not only through their international programs, but here in some of the most impoverished communities in North America, on Native American reservations. Thank you Seva."

Jackson Browne
Singer / Songwriter

"Seva takes the impulse towards generosity and turns it into compassionate action that helps people in real need. I honor my friends and relations by giving to Seva in their name — the entire world benefits. I hope you'll join me."

Peter Coyote
Actor / Writer

"Compassion and caring for people in need - that's simply a moral necessity. But it's not always easy to do. Seva makes it easy. They know how to put your donations to work in ways that truly benefit people."

Joan Baez
Singer / Humanitarian Activist

"When we met the folks at Seva, we knew we were among kindred spirits, joining to bring people together in service to others. Whether preventing blindness in Nepal, assisting native peoples in Guatemala and Mexico, or helping our own Native Americans, Seva has been there to help alleviate suffering and improve people's lives. Long may they rock!"

Phil Lesh
The Grateful Dead

"Seva's efforts create hope and happiness worldwide for so many people in difficult conditions. I've always been amazed and cheered by their good works and I've been very happy to help them in their fundraising efforts."

Bruce Hornsby
Singer / Songwriter

“I admire Seva's spirit of innovation. Seva is constantly looking for new ideas that can benefit the world, especially the poor, and they aren't afraid to try something that no one has ever tried before."

Dr. Muhammad Yunus
Nobel Prize Winner / Seva Partner / Founding Chairman of Grameen Health Services

“I congratulate Seva Foundation for the magnificent work they continue to do."

Odetta
Legendary Folk Singer

“Seva has done an incredible job all over the world helping people who really need it. I am proud to be one of the many who followed Wavy and his friends down this particular yellow brick road.”

David Crosby
Singer / Songwriter