Helen Keller International (HKI) is a nonprofit organization focused on preventing blindness and reducing malnutrition.

Activities

HKI carries out over 120 programs in 21 countries around the world, including cataract surgery, vision correction, screening and treatment for diabetic retinopathy, distribution of treatments and cures for neglected tropical diseases, maternal and child nutrition education, and community-based management of acute malnutrition.^[1] Charity evaluators within the effective altruism community have largely focused on HKI’s vitamin A supplementation (VAS) program, which distributes vitamin A supplements in sub-Saharan Africa.

Evaluation

As of July 2022, GiveWell estimates that HKI can deliver a vitamin A supplement at a cost of about $1, and that a donation to HKI’s VAS program has an average cost-effectiveness of $3,500 per life saved.^[2][3][4] (The cost of distributing vitamin supplements is much lower than the cost of saving a life because a small fraction of people who receive supplementation would otherwise have died from conditions related to vitamin deficiency, and because of other factors.)^[3]

HKI’s VAS program has been a GiveWell top-rated charity since 2017, and its cost-effectiveness is estimated to be in the same range as GiveWell’s other priority programs.^[5] As of July 2022, HKI has received over $31 million in funding from Open Philanthropy,^[6] and is also featured in The Life You Can Save’s list of “best charities”.^[7]

Further reading

Helen Keller International (2021) About us, Helen Keller International.

Sánchez, Sebastián (2021) Timeline of Helen Keller International, Timelines Wiki.

External links

Helen Keller International. Official website.

Apply for a job.

Donate to Helen Keller International.

Related entries

global health and development | global poverty | micronutrient fortification

1. ^

   Helen Keller International (2021) 2020 annual report, Helen Keller International.

2. ^

   GiveWell (2022) Our top charities, GiveWell, July.

3. ^

   GiveWell (2022) How we produce impact estimates, GiveWell, July.

4. ^

   GiveWell (2022) GiveWell directed grants to top charities with impact information (2020 onward), GiveWell, July.

5. ^

   GiveWell (2021) Helen Keller International’s Vitamin A Supplementation Program, GiveWell, November.

6. ^

   Open Philanthropy (2022) Grants database: Helen Keller International, Open Philanthropy.

7. ^

   The Life You Can Save (2021) Best charities, The Life You Can Save.