Embracing Seva’s commitment to ‘inspiring inclusion,’ I am thrilled to introduce you to four remarkable women leaders and mentors with whom I recently engaged in invigorating conversations.
Continue readingTag: Kate Moynihan
525,600 minutes. 525,000 moments so clear.
Happy New Year!
The subject line references “Rent,” a Broadway musical that asks how you measure a life in a year. What can a talented and committed team of public health non-profit professionals accomplish in 365 days? Frankly – a lot. Over the past year, we’ve taken inventory of our collective efforts with Seva and partners, and I want to share a few highlights with you:
Continue readingA historic moment for Seva – New Study Released
This is a historic moment for Seva, the eye care landscape, and the global development arena.
Seva’s groundbreaking new report, developed alongside Harvard economist Brad Wong, proves investment in eye health is one of the most cost-effective interventions to generate benefits across society.
Continue readingLetter from the Executive Director – Fall 2023
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 readingThe Nepal Blindness Survey at 40
When art, science, and compassion meet
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 readingLetter from the Executive Director – Spring 2023
In January 2023 I traveled to Nepal. The purpose was to meet with our program partners and the Seva staff. We used this time together to discuss our eye care roadmap for the country.
When painted against the fact that this coming Fall we can finally celebrate the anniversary of the seminal Seva Nepal Blindness Study, the conversations and connection become more of a homecoming than a traditional field visit.
Back in 1980, Seva founders (scientists, activists and academics) joined forces with the World Health Organization and the government of Nepal thanks to funding from the Netherlands. The results were published in our landmark report, The Epidemiology of Blindness in Nepal, and several journal articles. These findings became a key component, and dare I say, influencer, of the World Health Organization’s Nepal Blindness Program.
Continue readingSeva is honored by the Government of Cambodia!
Seva Foundation was honored with four national awards from the Government of Cambodia, signed by the King and the Prime Minister, in recognition of over two decades of restoring sight throughout the country. At a ceremony that coincided with World Sight Day, the following Seva team members were honored:
Continue readingStart-ups aren’t the only ones disrupting old patterns …
When you think of “disruptive and revolutionary tech,” what comes to mind?
Major companies, start-ups, a laboratory on the brink of discovery – but what about nonprofits?
You read that right, nonprofits. We know nonprofits don’t often come top of mind as being “disruptive,” but we’re here to paint a new picture. Compassion has always been an important driver of innovation at Seva.
At Seva, we invest in a suite of cutting-edge and revolutionary technologies to create a world free of avoidable blindness. Leveraging millions of data points, four decades of experience, and a network of leading public health experts, engineers, and physicians, our best-in-class tech solutions revolutionize the way eye care is delivered worldwide.
“We operate at the scale of a major corporation and the nimbleness of a start-up. Straddling this balance is disrupting the future of ophthalmology and public health – for good”.
– Kate Moynihan, Executive Director, Seva Foundation.
This is the new frontier of compassion driven eye care tech that you support:
Continue readingUnending Circles of Joy
You create virtuous cycles of joy.
In these busy times, it might be easy to forget how much of a difference you create.
But we, and the people we serve, will never forget.
Your generosity, combined with others like you, made it possible for millions of moms, dads, brothers, sisters, aunts, and uncles halfway across the world to step into 2023 with better lives.
Every time you choose to restore sight you initiate a virtuous cycle of joy that enables people to return to school, work, and support their families and communities. The caretaker can also pursue an independent career once he/she is relieved of the responsibility. At this very moment, 15-year-old Sandhya Dhital from Nepal, who got her sight back, is studying in a classroom. 28-year-old Mercedes Leguizamòn from Peru, who for years struggled to see, is able to support her children again.
I am here to let you know that we hear you, we see you and we are very thankful for your trust in us to do the work we do. Every click, every share, donation, thought, or note received is felt, seen, and heard. Compassion is a cornerstone to how Seva is possible, and how we set in motion the circle of joy.
Onward & Upward,
Kate Moynihan
CEO/Executive Director
Seva’s Impact Report: Where your good did the most
Last year 3,594,344 individuals’ lives changed for the better. 3.5 million moms, dads, brothers, sisters, aunties, uncles, grandmothers, grandfathers, and friends received vital eye care services, medicine, and treatment through Seva.
This year, we also crossed the 50 million mark of people served with eye care services through Seva and partners since 1978. This achievement rests on over four decades of pioneering sustainable eye care solutions with some of the world’s most compassionate, smart, and talented team of staff, partners, and supporters – this includes YOU!
Read more about the specific activities, analytics, and personal stories of Seva’s work this past year. We are another step closer to ending the public health crisis of avoidable blindness – Seva’s impact, affordability, and sustainability is a big reason why Nicholas Kristof honored us with the 2021 Grand Holiday Impact Prize. As he said, “it feels miraculous to watch people regain their sight, but it’s a miracle that we can all make happen. Seva Foundation, the Grand Prize Winner of this year’s Holiday Impact Prize, is transforming people’s lives for as little as $50 per cataract surgery. Seva works in more than 20 countries abroad and in Native American communities in the United States, and nothing is more joyous than seeing the impact of its work on people who had thought they would never see again.”
Onwards & Upwards,
Kate Moynihan
CEO/Executive Director
