Letter from the Executive Director – Spring 2024

Friends of Seva,

Suzanne Gilbert, our esteemed Senior Director at Seva Foundation, has made the heartfelt decision to retire from her staff position, effective June 2024. 

She made this decision in June of 2023, and we have spent the past year preparing for this significant transition. Suzanne’s unwavering commitment to our mission since Seva’s founding in 1978 has been nothing short of extraordinary. Her innovative spirit has been a driving force behind Seva as a volunteer, Executive Director, Program Director, Research Director, and Seva ambassador globally.

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What Kind of Return Does a Dollar Get?

Only social equity, stronger economies, and rediscovered dignity. 

Photo by Joe Raffanti.
Photo by Joe Raffanti.

Eyesight influences most aspects of daily life, from the playground to the job-site, infancy to old age. It’s alarming, then, that one-quarter of the global population – 2.2 billion people – are living with vision impairment, and only half of those get the care they need. More women are affected than men, and the numbers increase sharply with age. Without significant investment in preventative actions, these numbers are projected to increase to 1.8 billion by 2050, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. 

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Dr. Suzanne Gilbert: A Career in Service, Spirit, and Science.

Photo: Suzanne Gilbert, Jahanara Romney, and Girija Brilliant prepare for the 1982 Board meeting outside the first Seva office.
Photo above: Suzanne Gilbert, Jahanara Romney, and Girija Brilliant prepare for the 1982 Board meeting outside the first Seva office.

This summer will begin a new chapter for Dr. Suzanne Gilbert as she retires from the Seva Foundation.

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Seva Partners Use Data to Strengthen Eye Care

Photo: Seva partners participating in the Evidence-Informed Practice workshop in Hyderabad, India.
Photo above: Seva partners participating in the Evidence-Informed Practice workshop in Hyderabad, India

Since its founding, one of Seva’s guiding principles has been sensitivity to the culture and norms of the communities we serve. Research staff, consultants, and volunteers work directly with Seva partner eye hospitals to understand, at a root level, the systems unique to that facility.

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Seva Takes Home the Anthem Award

Pristine 5.0 photo

Matt Damon and Misty Copland, would you mind scooting over? Yes, you may take your award with you. Oh this? Well, we have an award too. Let’s do lunch.

Fine, so we didn’t actually meet our fellow Anthem Award winners. Nonetheless, we’re proud to be among the ranks of people and worldwide organizations whose mission-driven work is acknowledged. In January, Seva was recognized in the categories of Health, Product and Service for the Pristine 5.0 camera (formerly Vistaro).

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I’ll Take Seva Trivia for 1,000, Ken.

Photo of Savitri Joshi by Joe Raffanti.

Get your buzzer finger ready as we play a game of Seva trivia. With 45-plus years, 20 countries, and 57 million people served, we’ve got some history! Test your arcane knowledge in our quiz on the programs, solutions, and people that help make the joy of transforming lives by restoring sight possible. 

Ready? Let’s get to it.

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