Even though this blog does not generate much income, we feel it is important to give back to the world community through donations. From Kiva loans to the American Himalayan Foundation, we have given to many organizations over the years.  After attending Furthurfest, I was reminded of the great work Seva Foundation does for children, thus they are the recipients of our most recent small donation.

Seva (say-va) is a Sanskrit word for service. Seva Foundation was formed in 1978 with a mission to alleviate suffering caused by disease and poverty.

Our approach is to build partnerships that respond to locally defined problems with culturally sustainable solutions.

Working in nine countries in addition to the United States, Seva Foundation supports projects in the area of health and wellness, community development, environmental protection and cultural preservation. Seva currently works to:

• Prevent blindness and restore sight in India, Nepal, Tibet, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Egypt, Tanzania and Guatemala.
• Support Native American projects across the U.S. in the areas of health and wellness, community development, environmental protection and cultural preservation.

I chose to give the gift of “Enrichment for a Native Youth”.  This program supports “both cultural pride and real-life skills for the next generation of Native leaders through community mentorship, hands-on educational programs, and youth service projects”.  I work with a few Native youth, and it breaks my heart how disconnected some of them are from any culture, whether their indigenous, white, or a blended version.  Sadly, many of these children suffer from poverty, abuse, and learning disabilities.  I am pleased to see that Seva has added Native American children, in addition to saving children’s sight in the Himalaya, to their gifts of service.