Seva in Guatemala

	Below: Dr. Mariano Yee with patients
	Read about Seva's major project in Guatemala
	Read Fidelia's story

Seva Canada is excited to be working with Visualiza, our partner in Guatemala, an extremely dedicated team of eye care professionals headed by ophthalmologist, Dr. Mariano Yee.

Our Guatemalan partner has established a unique model in Latin America to deliver eye care to the poor and to children.

Visualiza is already doing about 30% of all the cataract surgeries in the country with only 2% of the nation’s ophthalmologists. Visualiza is the only institution providing screening of children aged 5-15. Last year they screened over 30,000 kids.

There are approximately 12,728,000 people living in Guatemala. While there is limited data available on blindness, estimates suggest that there are over 80,000 who are currently blind from cataracts and thousands more children, women and men go blind every year. This blindness could be cured by a simple surgery.

Fortunately, Seva has created a strong partnership with the Visualiza Eye Care system for the provision of high-quality eye care services. This family-run network includes three eye hospitals and several smaller eye care centers in development.

Seva will support care in eye hospitals in Guatemala City, San Benito (near Flores, in the rural Peten region) and Jutiapa, in eastern Guatemala.

Click the link to learn more about specific Gifts of Sight for Guatemala.

SNAPSHOT OF GUATEMALA

Country population: 12,728,000
Poverty: 37% live on less than $2/day
Access to health care: 15% no access
Approx. number of blind due to cataract: 80,000
Avoidable blindness: 75%