Seva Foundation

Week 43: Seva Foundation

We’ve talked about preventable blindness before. This week, we are supporting Seva, an organization that creates programs to preserve and restore sight.
Their vision: a world free of avoidable blindness. 

What makes Seva's programs unique is that they aim to reduce dependence on outside assistance and services through forging long-term partnerships. In the communities where they work, “they share skills and technology appropriate for local conditions, assist local decision-making, and help to support eye clinics and hospitals to become financially self-sufficient”. 

“By developing close relationships with local eye care organizations and community leaders, they build trust, mutual respect and cultural understanding.Partnering with local hospitals and institutions to improve infrastructure and increase the volume and quality of eye care services, The Seva Foundation provides means for the people to access care long after Seva’s involvement has ended.”

Seva has a wonderful quote on their site that sticks with me. I’d love to share it:

“Helping out is not some special skill. It is not the domain of rare individuals. It is not confined to a single part of our lives. We simply heed the call of that natural impulse within and follow it where it leads us.”
— Ram Dass

I needed this reminder today. 

Simply heed the call.

Hope you have a lovely week,

Jodi

Village Enterprise

Week 42: Village Enterprise

Hello wonderful GIVE52'ers! Back with another fantastic organization. This week's organization is Village Enterprise.

Village Enterprise “believes in the power of the entrepreneurial spirit to transform lives”. This entrepreneurial spirit is something I cherish and try to cultivate every day. I was attracted to VE because this notion, that entrepreneurship can play a role in alleviating poverty, is one that started my own path into learning about global health, philanthropy, and what it takes to make an impact.

“Village Enterprise equips people living in extreme poverty in rural Africa to start sustainable businesses and savings groups. Graduates from our program generate income and savings from their small businesses that improves their standard of living and breaks the cycle of poverty for themselves and their families.”

Here’s how it works: Village Enterprise runs a one-year Graduation program which provides groups of entrepreneurs with seed capital, training and on-going mentoring by a local business mentor. They give businesses a $150 grant, notably not a loan, to start them off. 

Next, they organize entrepreneurs into Business Savings Groups. These are groups of 30 entrepreneurs who form a self-managed form of micro-finance. This means that members pool savings and can access loans. BSGs provide members with “ongoing protection against financial shocks and access to growth capital”, and act as a safety net. 

They also integrate conservation training which means new business activities automatically promote and use environmental best practices. Examples of businesses include livestock, farming, small retail stores and restaurants, tailoring, and beekeeping.

This unique organization was built in Silicon Valley, and applies the ethos of entrepreneurship to their work. They make certain that their programs are both scalable and adaptable. To date, their programs have assisted over 700,000 rural Africans out of extreme poverty.

Here's to the entrepreneurial spirit.
Happy Monday!
Jodi

Miracle Flights

Week 41: Miracle Flights

Miracle Flights helps low-income children with the cost of air travel in order to get the special medical care they need.

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This incredible organization provides financial assistance for medical flights so that “seriously ill children may receive life-altering, life-saving medical care and second opinions from experts and specialists throughout the United States”. 

I cannot imagine the heartbreak that families go through when children need specialized medical care that is just out of reach. Helping kids and their families travel to get the specialized healthcare they need is incredible and such a wonderful goal. With the help pf Miracle Flights, families “are given hope that their children may live longer, healthier lives”. 

To date, they have coordinated nearly 110,000 flights. I encourage you to check out their site which features children’s stories. They are remarkable. 

Let’s get these kids to the care they need.

Have a wonderful week!

Blue skies,
Jodi