Community Self-Development

Since 1986, Seva Foundation has worked side-by-side with indigenous groups in Chiapas, Mexico and in northern Guatemala to help them meet the basic needs of their communities.  In just the past year, Seva's Community Self-Development Program (CSD) brought new opportunities to over 60,000 people struggling to find a way out of poverty.

Recently, the Seva Foundation Board of Directors engaged in a strategic re-visioning process to adjust and respond to the realities of the current global economic problems. In this time of limited resources Seva decided to focus its efforts where we have the greatest expertise and track record, primarily the sight programs. The Board made the difficult decision to explore transferring the Community Self-Development Program to another highly capable organization already doing similar work in Latin America.

Seva has found an organization with an impressive 24 year legacy of work with indigenous communities in Mexico and Guatemala. It is the International Development Exchange (IDEX)—a San Francisco-based non profit organization that promotes sustainable solutions to poverty by providing long-term support to locally run organizations in Africa, Asia and Latin America. IDEX assumed responsibility for the Community Self-Development Program at its board meeting on August 20, 2009. The geographic overlap of the Seva and IDEX’s programs in Latin America (both are focused on Guatemala and Southern Mexico) will enhance the quality of services to existing clients and will help create new opportunities for program growth in the future.

Seva Foundation will continue its sight program work in Guatemala and hopes you will continue supporting this program and other program work performed by both the Sight/Center for Innovation in Eye Care and the Native American Programs.

For more information about IDEX please visit their website - www.idex.org