Organization: Helen Keller International

All Photos The mission of Helen Keller International is to save the sight and lives of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged. We combat the causes and consequences of blindness and malnutrition by establishing programs based on evidence and research in vision, health and nutrition.

Focus Areas:	Children, Education, Health, Poverty, Gender & Equality
Countries Served:	All 22 countries: Bangladesh Burkina Faso Congo, The Democratic Republic of The Cote D'Ivoire Cameroon China Guinea Indonesia Cambodia Mali Myanmar Mozambique Niger Nigeria Nepal Philippines Sierra Leone Senegal Tanzania, United Republic of United States Viet Nam Zimbabwe   Summary by region: Asia Africa Northern America

Description of Services:
Helen Keller International's programs combat malnutrition, cataract, trachoma, onchocerciasis (river blindness) and refractive error. The goal of all of our programs is to reduce suffering of those without access to needed health or vision care and, ultimately, to help lift people from poverty. HKI is known for sustainability, reliability, efficiency, and the highest level of technical expertise in fighting and treating blindness and malnutrition. The hallmark of the organization's work is its proven effectiveness in developing, testing and scaling-up health interventions, and integrating them within government and community structures.
History:
Founded by George Kessler in 1915 with Helen Keller as a founding trustee, HKI is among the oldest international nonprofit organizations devoted to fighting and treating preventable blindness and malnutrition. From a small but ambitious beginning helping soldiers blinded in World War I, we have grown into an organization that helps millions of people in Africa, Asia and the U.S. In the 1970s, the agency shifted its focus to blindness prevention, with emphasis on childhood blindness, the principal cause of which was, and remains, vitamin A deficiency (VAD). HKI's VAD programs led to the recognition that VAD is a major contributor to childhood death. This led to HKI's programs to prevent malnutrition as well as blindness.
Accomplishments & Progress:
PREVENTING BLINDNESS ASIA-PACIFIC In 2009, HKI launched a 3-year project in Bangladesh to address lack of public information and qualified treatment for Diabetic Retinopathy. AFRICA To help control Onchocerciasis in Cameroon, we trained 4,056 Community-Directed Distributors. THE AMERICAS To date, ChildSight® has screened over 1.3 million children and has delivered over 160,000 pairs of free eyeglasses to children in need. REDUCING MALNUTRITION ASIA-PACIFIC Our Homestead Food Production program continues to increase the nutritional status of families. AFRICA 70 million vitamin A capsules reached children aged 6-59 months through HKI programs in Africa; most received other interventions such as de-worming at the same time.