Last month, the Seva Foundation and The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness released a groundbreaking report revealing a striking truth:
Children with vision loss learn at half the rate of those with good or corrected vision. Put another way – every year, 6.3 million school years are lost due to uncorrected vision, amounting to $173 billion in future earnings each year. Imagine the impact if those kids could simply see the board. What innovations would emerge? What challenges could these young minds overcome?
Happily, we know we are part of the proven solution. With Seva’s worldwide network within reach, comprehensive vision screenings and eyeglasses, simple yet powerful tools proven to unlock potential are at hand. You have heard from me before that our findings from Seva’s Best Buy study, published in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization, prove that every $1 invested in eye health results in $36 in benefits across society. This translates immediately into better learning outcomes, finding work, or increased productivity. We can also add that every $1 spent on school screenings yields $65 in benefits for children.
This is a solid and compelling call to action for my talented team and our board of directors.
Take Nepal, for example. After 45+ years of service in this country, Seva’s network screens 200,000 children each year, helping them engage in school and envision brighter futures. We are poised to scale this work globally, and together with you, we can reshape the future. If you and your family and friends want to know more, please read the full report on child eye health here.
With my warm regards and eternal gratitude for your kindness and compassion,
Kate Moynihan
CEO/Executive Director
P.S. I invite you to view our 2024 Impact Report, where you’ll see how (with your support) we brought eye care to over 7 million people last year – including 555,000 children – through Seva’s expanding networks. Thanks to you, these are lives transformed.
About the author
Kate Moynihan
Kate Moynihan is an impassioned leader and decision-maker who has overseen programs in networked organizations and social enterprises in resource-constrained settings, internationally and in the United States. She is a catalyst for institutional and systems change, partnering successfully with diverse international organizations to deliver world-class leadership for mission-based social justice around the globe. Throughout Kate’s career, she has shown an unwavering commitment to improving the lives of people living in disadvantaged, marginalized segments of the world. Kate currently serves as CEO / Executive Director of the Seva Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Berkeley, California that transforms lives by restoring sight to individuals in areas with limited access to eye care.
