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Category: 2023 Fall Newsletter

Letter from the Executive Director – Fall 2023

Posted on October 25, 2023 by Kate Moynihan

If you spend a few moments with a Seva staff member or partner, you will understand why this organization stands as a unique voice in the development and social justice arena. Why is it unique? Firstly, Seva’s longstanding commitment to world-class science and, secondly, our unwavering dedication to true human compassion set us apart.

I share this as a precursor to why we emphasize the impact of our work. It’s because the quality and safety of each person are as important as the eye care itself. We are not alone in our quest to uplift human dignity. The United Nations tracks progress and has 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030. Dr. Mariano Yee and I recently attended the United Nations General Assembly, joining Ministers of Health, the International Labor Organization, the World Health Organization, and fellow civil society service providers. 

Continue reading →
2023 Fall Newsletter, Seva Foundation Dr. Mariano Yee, Kate Moynihan, Nepal, Nepal Blindness Survey, Wavy Gravy
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Writer–check. Illustrator–check. Entrepreneur–it’s on the list.

Posted on October 25, 2023October 25, 2023 by Seva Foundation
Pisey photo
Photo by Joe Raffanti.

At the tender age of 11, Pisey is already studying the Khmer language and learning to write in its formal, more difficult form. But she doesn’t stop there; she also draws pictures to accompany her writing. So it was surprising when Pisey’s mom, Dai Vanneth, observed that something was amiss with Pisey’s eyes; they watered while she slept. 

Continue reading →
2023 Fall Newsletter, Seva Foundation Angkor Hospital for Children, Cambodia, Children, Pediatric
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Call the Please Force!

Posted on October 25, 2023October 25, 2023 by Seva Foundation

Wavy Gravy and a few hundred friends are in the building!


Taj Mahal and Maria Muldaur. Photo by Bob Minkin

They came in plaid. They came in voluminous pants and retina-searing tie dye, often as one outfit. They convened to celebrate a man known for his Woodstock quote but famous for his huge heart. Wavy Gravy’s birthday concert benefiting Seva was a good old-fashioned lovefest, brimming with soul. And bubbles.

Continue reading →
2023 Fall Newsletter, Seva Foundation Dr. Larry Brilliant, Events, Maria Muldaur, Steve Earle, Taj Mahal, Wavy Gravy
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Bollywood in Portland?

Posted on October 25, 2023 by Seva Foundation

Yep, and a popular fundraiser for Seva returns in person!

It was raining in Portland, OR, but the Balaji Temple was aglow with partygoers wearing traditional Indian colors: saffron yellows, scarlets, and magentas. Onstage was Indian-American singing group Soor Aur Saptak (SAS) holding its 12th annual concert benefiting Seva. 

Continue reading →
2023 Fall Newsletter, Seva Foundation Bollywood, Donor Shout-outs, Soor Aur Saptak
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The Nepal Blindness Survey at 40

Posted on October 25, 2023December 7, 2023 by Seva Foundation

When art, science, and compassion meet

One of the first Seva meetings.

It’s 1978 in Michigan. A clown, a guru, and a doctor walk into a cabin. The clown says, “What I have in mind is eye care for 400,000.” The guru says “See here now.” The doctor says, “Brilliant. We can do that.” 

And that’s how Seva started.

Continue reading →
2023 Fall Newsletter, Seva Foundation Dr. G. Venkataswamy, Dr. Girija Brilliant, Dr. Larry Brilliant, Dr. Nicole Grasset, Kate Moynihan, Nepal, Nepal Blindness Survey, Ram Dass, Wavy Gravy, World Health Organization
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Your support changes lives

Posted on October 25, 2023July 29, 2025 by Seva Foundation
Vision Center photo
A Seva-supported Vision Center in Madhya Pradesh, India in collaboration with our partner hospital Sadguru Netra Chikitsalaya (SNC).

From education to eyeglasses, from cataract surgery to cameras that diagnose, your support has helped people around the world. Thanks to you, Seva has provided vital eye care services to 57 million people in the world, including more than 6.5 million people in the last year alone. Seva’s vision is a world in which no one lives with avoidable blindness.

Continue reading →
2023 Fall Newsletter, Seva Foundation Bangladesh, Cataracts, eyeglasses, India, Mozambique, Nepal, Pristine 5.0 Retinal Camera, Sadguru Netra Chikitsalaya, Technology, Thailand, Ukraine, Vision Centers, Vistaro
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Donor Shout-Outs – Fall 2023

Posted on October 25, 2023October 25, 2023 by Seva Foundation
Ann Lowry.
  • “They Shared Everything.” Seva supporter Dennis Donham gives back.
  • Ann Lowry’s commitment to Seva & the world. Creating a legacy of eye care.
  • Two Words We Like: Direct and Powerful. Wellness expert, writer, yoga teacher, devoted human to Vladimir the rescue pup.
  • Miracle Pop-Up is a Christmas-themed pop-up cocktail bar that partners with locations all over the world during the holiday season.
Continue reading →
2023 Fall Newsletter, Seva Foundation Donor Shout-outs, Estate Planning, FreeWill, Planned Giving, Ram Dass, Yoga for Sight
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Meet the Seva Squad 

Posted on October 25, 2023October 25, 2023 by Seva Foundation

They’re smart. They’re original. They’re invested in others.

Meet the inaugural Seva Squad, young artists and activists eager to make the world a better place. From stories that explore not only vision problems but the stigma that can come with it, to video and photo streams, these projects reflect the talent and compassion of their creators.

Continue reading →
2023 Fall Newsletter, Seva Foundation Children, Seva Squad, Youth, Youth Ambassador Program
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2020 Fall Newsletter

  • Letter from the Executive Director – Fall 2020
  • 1 Million+ Children Screened, 1 Million+ Children Achieving their Dreams
  • Seva launches a new workshop in Nepal and India to advance eye care solutions
  • Leveraging technology to re-emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic
  • 14-year-old Shakeela could now see everything she had been missing!
  • Donor Shout-outs – Fall 2020
  • A conversation with Dr. Ashwini Kumar, a pediatric ophthalmologist in India

2021 Spring Newsletter

  • Letter from the Executive Director – Spring 2021
  • Beauty & Soul at Sing Out for Seva 2021
  • Seva Partner Opens 100th Eye Care Facility
  • Seva Contributes to Groundbreaking Report
  • Retina Camera Breakthrough
  • SOOR AUR SAPTAK Celebrates 10 Years of Music, Dance and Transforming Lives!
  • Ramesh Gets His Sight Back!
  • Seva Programs Soar Past their Goals

2021 Fall Newsletter

  • Letter from the Executive Director – Fall 2021
  • Native Americans Suffer from Higher Rates of Preventable and Treatable Eye Conditions
  • Building a Bright Future of Eye Care with the University of Washington, Bothell
  • Resilience: How Seva Responded to COVID
  • Love Your Eyes Today and Every Day!
  • Excelling at Eye Care Training
  • Reaching Kids Despite COVID Challenges
  • Donor Shout-outs – Fall 2021
  • Create a Legacy That Lasts a Lifetime
  • The Next Generation of Eye Care Heroes

2022 Spring Newsletter

  • Letter from the Executive Director – Spring 2022
  • Pat Haley: Celebrating the power of our remarkable Seva community!
  • New Vision Centers Established = More Sight Restored 
  • Seva wins major accolades for sight-restoration efforts!
  • LOVE, MUSIC AND LIGHT:  Our Sing Out For Seva Quarantine Concert was a hit!
  • Meet Parmila – known as the “selfless mother” – transforming the lives of women in Nepal
  • Marking 10+ years of impact for children in India with Soor Aur Saptak
  • In Service of Bangladesh – This Time Through Sight!
  • Our very own Kuldeep Singh is recognized as an Eye Health Hero!

2022 Fall Newsletter

  • Letter from the Executive Director – Fall 2022
  • Story of Bhoora Kol
  • “Bubblicious” – an enduring masterpiece to create lasting change! 
  • Brighter Guatemala Today, The World Tomorrow!
  • Sporting Sight Every Day! – Kimm Parker
  • Preserve sight for years to come – without paying a single cent today! 
  • Observe, Understand, and Change
  • What’s That Seva Stuff!?
  • What is the True Economic And Social Cost of Blindness in India?
  • A week in the diary of our Nepal Program Director, Ram Prasad Kandel

2023 Spring Newsletter

  • Letter from the Executive Director – Spring 2023
  • Clearing the Path to Higher Ground
  • Welcome Dr. Binita Sharma
  • He believed he would never see again. You made sure he did.
  • The Seva Squad is Coming to Your Town!
  • New Vision Centers: Mobilizing Towards Eye Health Equity
  • Elvis Costello has a Message for You
  • Seva is honored by the Government of Cambodia!
  • Donor Shout-Outs – Spring 2023
  • Two Seva Studies Spotlight Cost of Eye Care
  • MODO does more to bring eye care to all! 

2023 Fall Newsletter

  • Letter from the Executive Director – Fall 2023
  • Writer–check. Illustrator–check. Entrepreneur–it’s on the list.
  • Call the Please Force!
  • Bollywood in Portland?
  • The Nepal Blindness Survey at 40
  • Your support changes lives
  • Donor Shout-Outs – Fall 2023
  • Meet the Seva Squad 

2024 Spring Newsletter

  • Letter from the Executive Director – Spring 2024
  • What Kind of Return Does a Dollar Get?
  • The Fabric of Life, Woven in Baskets and Birthdays
  • Dr. Suzanne Gilbert: A Career in Service, Spirit, and Science.
  • Seva Partners Use Data to Strengthen Eye Care
  • Seva Takes Home the Anthem Award
  • New Opportunities Make Dreams Possible
  • Dr. G. Natchiar is bestowed India’s distinguished Padma Shri Award
  • Donor Shout-Outs – Spring 2024

2024 Fall Newsletter

  • Letter from the Executive Director – Fall 2024
  • Future Lawyer on a Bike Coming Through
  • Partnering with Indigenous Communities
  • The Avengers of Eye Care
  • Focus on Babies’ and Kids’ Eye Health
  • Who Needs a Watch When You Can Keep Influencing Thousands?
  • Donor Shout-Outs – Fall 2024
  • Meet Seva’s Youth Ambassadors – Smart, Kind, Committed 

2025 Spring Newsletter

  • CEO and Executive Director Kate Moynihan on how Seva intends to meet the challenges of the year ahead.
  • The Art of Seeing
  • Everybody and Their Brother Needs to Know 
  • VCs at-a-glance
  • Narendra-Gayetri Shrestha: A Legacy of Compassion
  • For Seva supporter Rich Gosse, life is all about a person and purpose
  • A letter from Pristine 5.0
  • Seva TAPped by the FDA in Pilot Program

2025 Fall Newsletter

  • Letter from the CEO/Executive Director – Fall 2025
  • “I can see everything”:  A Mother’s Joy, a Daughter’s Hope 
  • Million Lives Collective
  • A Trillion Dollar Wake-Up Call
  • Expanding Eye Care Through Innovation: The Call for Ideas
  • A Visionary Impact: Empowering Communities Through Eye Care in India
  • How Are Vision Centers Doing? We Asked.
  • Quiché Update
  • Soor Aur Saptak (SAS) completes 14 years with a Bollywood Musical Blast
  • Seeing the Future: Screening Little Ones with SPOT

Circle of Sharing Donors Newsletter

  • A New Light is Rising in Quiché, Guatemala
  • Doña Lidia’s Story
  • Seva’s Interactive Data Map

Recent Posts

  • A New Light is Rising in Quiché, Guatemala
  • Doña Lidia’s Story
  • Seva’s Interactive Data Map
  • The Power of Showing Up – With You
  • A Year of Hope, a Year of Sight, a Year with You

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Restoring Sight to a Cambodian Monk
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Find more videos like these on Seva's YouTube Channel.

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Seva Foundation is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. ©2021 Seva Foundation. All rights reserved.