Hellen Keller International

Helen Keller International (HKI) stands as a global healthcare organization, committed to the fight against blindness and malnutrition. Established in 1915 by Helen Keller, George Kessler, and Anagnos as founding trustees, it initially aimed to serve blind American veterans and civilians affected by World War I and the Spanish Flu. Over the years, its mission has broadened to include services and advocacy for deafblind individuals around the world. Presently, HKI's headquarters are located in New York, and it operates over 120 programs across Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and North America.

The organization's primary focus is on preventing childhood blindness and deafness, addressing malnutrition issues, and developing eye care and health systems within vulnerable communities across the globe. Some of HKI's key initiatives comprise child vision screening, vitamin A capsule distribution, providing therapeutic foods, training community health workers, and enhancing nutritional monitoring systems.

Furthermore, Helen Keller International actively engages in research related to eye health innovation, maternal and child nutrition, and neglected tropical diseases potentially leading to vision loss. Financial support comes from various sources like USAID, Gates Foundation, Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies, corporations as well as individual contributors. In essence, Helen Keller International plays a vital role in ensuring access to healthcare services for susceptible populations—predominantly women and children—spanning from eye care to nutrition to achieve global health equity while continuing to honor Keller's legacy.

Who is Hellen Keller?

Helen Keller (1880-1968), a renowned American author, advocate for disability rights, and political activist, holds the distinction of being the first deafblind individual to obtain a Bachelor of Arts degree. At the tender age of 19 months, an unidentified illness, possibly scarlet fever or meningitis, robbed her of her sight and hearing. Initially, young Helen faced great difficulties in communication but eventually learned to read, write, and converse through the relentless support of her instructor Anne Sullivan. This achievement was largely attributed to Sullivan's innovative technique of spelling words into Keller's hand.

Subsequently, Keller pursued her education at the Cambridge School for Young Ladies before entering Radcliffe College in 1900. In 1904, she graduated cum laude and authored her autobiography, The Story of My Life. A dedicated advocate for various social causes such as disability rights, women's suffrage, labor rights, and socialism, Keller penned additional books like The World I Live In and Out of the Dark.

In recognition of her achievements and advocacy work in the blind and deaf communities, Helen Keller was appointed ambassador to Ceylon and Japan by the World Council for the Blind in 1946. Further accolades include receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1964. Throughout her life, Keller actively sought to raise awareness and promote reforms pertaining to disabilities by delivering motivational lectures worldwide. Her teacher Anne Sullivan remained a vital figure in her life until the very end. The 1962 movie The Miracle Worker narrates Sullivan's unwavering dedication to teaching a young Keller innovative communication methods.

In essence, Helen Keller defied early deafblindness to emerge as an Ivy League graduate, prolific writer, staunch advocate of social causes, and internationally acclaimed figure who changed perceptions about disabilities.

Objectives of Helen Keller International:

A. Preventing Blindness and Visual Impairment:

  • Conducting eye health screenings.
  • Eyeglass donation.
  • Providing treatment for eye infections.
  • Surgical intervention in conditions like cataracts.

B. Combating Malnutrition:

  • Implementing nutrition programs specifically targeting vulnerable groups of people like children and pregnant women
  • Utilizing community-based interventions.
  • Educating about appropriate nutrition practices and promotion.

C. Holistic and Sustainable Approaches:

  • Working together with other local bodies and NGOs.
  • Building capacity within communities.
  • Developing sustainable agriculture for food security, improvement, and promotion.

D. Research and Advocacy:

  • Providing research to inform program development.
  • Policies that promote eye and nutritional health advocacy.
  • Adding to global information about avoidable blindness and malnutrition.

E. Empowering Communities:

  • Engaging in community-based initiatives.
  • Empowering local communities with resources and expertise.
  • Integrating local participation for the long-term sustainability of programs.

F. Capacity Building:

  • Capacity building for local health systems and professionals.
  • Empowering community members to be active players in maintaining health and nutrition programs.

G. Adaptability:

  • Adjusting programs based on changing socio-economic and environmental circumstances.
  • Responding to new challenges and opportunities in the area of public health.


Values of Hellen Keller International

A. Rigor

Dedication to best practice, accountability, continuous learning, and application of evidence-based approaches within and across all aspects of our programs and operations.

B. Integrity

A commitment to put our best foot forward every day and to steward the resources entrusted to us with honesty, fairness, transparency, and professionalism at all times. Consistency between our words and actions.

C. Grit

Determination to overcome obstacles just as our co-founder did. A willingness to articulate problems and find and implement solutions to them positively, creatively, and with ambition and resolve.

D. Compassion

Demonstrated empathy for our program participants, partners, donors, and colleagues. Mutual respect and a deliberate focus on inclusiveness, responsiveness, and collaboration.

Where does it work?

Helen Keller International runs in many parts of the world, particularly areas with high cases of curable blindness, malnutrition, and other medical problems. The organization’s programs and activities take place in both developing and disadvantaged areas. It has been active in several regions, including:

A. Africa: 

In particular, HKI operates in several African countries focusing on problems such as malnutrition, Vitamin A deficiency, and preventable blindness. Sub-Saharan countries have been a major target due to the increasing number of cases of these health challenges. The countries in Africa where HKI operates include: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Kenya, Mali, Madagascar, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Tanzania.

B. Asia: 

The company is active in many Asian countries and is involved in eye health, nutrition, and community projects. HKI has implemented programs in countries of South Asia and Southeast Asia, among other regions. The countries in Asia where HKI operates include: Bangladesh, Cambodia, Nepal and Philippines.

C. United States: 

Starting locally within the boundaries of the US, HKI has become an intercontinental issue-oriented NGO. The organization has taken part in several vision health programs as well as the support of individuals with vision problems within the States such as New York, New Jersey, Minnesota, and California, in the U.S.

D. Other Regions: 

Specific programmes and projects are tailored towards the needs of particular communities for instance HKI’s reach is also extended to other parts of the world. It operates in France in Europe.