Seva Foundation

What Seva Foundation does

Seva Foundation, based in Berkeley, California, works to prevent blindness and restore sight in low-income communities around the world. Seva says half of all blindness is caused by cataracts, which surgery can fix for about $50, and that most vision impairment can be cured or prevented.

Seva works through local partners. It builds up eye hospitals and clinics, trains local eye care providers, and helps programs become self-sustaining, with a focus on reaching women, children and Indigenous communities. Its partners are in about 20 countries, including Nepal, India, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Tanzania, Uganda, Guatemala and Peru, and it supports capacity building at more than 90 hospitals. In the US, it works with partners in New Mexico, Alaska, Washington, Oklahoma and Wisconsin to expand eye care for Native American communities.

Seva was founded in 1978 by a group that included Dr. Larry Brilliant, Ram Dass, Wavy Gravy, Nicole Grasset and Dr. Govindappa Venkataswamy, who also founded India's Aravind eye care system. It says it has provided surgeries, eyeglasses, medicine and other eye care to 72 million people. It holds four stars from Charity Navigator and an A- from CharityWatch.

Key facts

• Has provided surgeries, eyeglasses, medicine and other eye care to 72 million people in 20+ countries since 1978 (Seva)
• Says a cataract, which causes half of all blindness, can be fixed for about $50 (Seva)
• Supports capacity building in more than 90 hospitals worldwide (Seva, Where We Work)
• Works with local partners in New Mexico, Alaska, Washington, Oklahoma and Wisconsin to expand eye care for Native American communities (Seva)

Before you give

• Seva's donation form also mentions monthly giving, employer matching, stock, donor-advised funds, crypto, vehicle donations and legacy gifts; phone gifts at 1-877-764-7382.