Dear Seva Canada Supporters,
Seva Canada has had integrated revenue-generating activities in our eye care programs from the beginning. This meant finding the right people to deliver high-quality care at a price that is affordable for most of the population, while subsidizing people who are too poor to pay. But many people remain unnecessarily blind or have functional impairments due to vision loss.
We know that the self-financing model of eye care needs to go even further. There are significant potential opportunities that can be realized by increased private and public partnerships. Corporations can create impact beyond funding by sharing their expertise to solve enduring development challenges including reaching the most vulnerable populations and improving access to and quality of services such as health care. Corporate social responsibility can and should be transformed to social opportunity for both corporations and international development initiatives.
The commercialization of our international development ‘product’ does not lead to inequity favoring the rich but instead, it is necessary to enhance and expand Seva Canada’s mission to restore sight and prevent blindness.
The commercialization of our international development ‘product’ does not lead to inequity favoring the rich but instead, it is necessary to enhance and expand Seva Canada’s mission to restore sight and prevent blindness. More revenue means more people regaining their sight, more treatment options for chronic diseases like glaucoma, and fewer children undiagnosed and untreated for refractive error or eye disease.
We don’t have a choice. Either we commit to creating eye care programs that are financially, managerially and professionally sustainable or we forever limit ourselves to donor-dependent models of international development.
Sustainability creates business value; lowers costs and risk and creates more innovation and enhanced value. It’s about delivering better eye care to more people; not making money.
Sustainability creates business value; lowers costs and risk and creates more innovation and enhanced value. It’s about delivering better eye care to more people; not making money.
Penny Lyons,
Executive Director
