Mr. Phong Finds a New Vision at Age 69

Two elderly men wearing eyeglasses sit indoors in front of a wall showcasing various eyeglasses.Ly Dinh Phong is an energetic 69 year old man living in a rural area outside Hanoi, Vietnam. In 1969, after studying electrical engineering in China and Russia, he returned to Vietnam to join the army.  Mr. Phong’s wartime injuries were extensive enough to[...]

Bringing Education — and Dreams — Into Focus

Young girl with long dark hair and glasses standing in front of bookshelves filled with colorful books, smiling softly.“I need glasses,” says Qian, an outgoing sixth-grader who emigrated from China at age seven to join her family in New York. Her parents work long hours to make ends meet – her father is a cook and her mother a cashier. “My parents don’t spend much[...]

Working in the Spirit of Helen Keller in Nepal

Woman working at office desk with laptop and Helen Keller Intl sign on wall.When one enters the house in the quiet Kathmandu neighborhood where Helen Keller International-Nepal is located, the buzz and activity of the busy office is suddenly countered by the reassuring calm of Sharada Adhikari, who sits at the front desk. Her soft[...]

Nicholas Kristof Highlights Helen Keller International

Healthcare worker in white coat carefully inspecting eye of seated patient in a modest clinic setting.This op-ed originally appeared in the Sunday Review Section of the April 5, 2015 edition of The New York Times.  The Trader Who Donates Half His Pay Matt Wage was a brilliant, earnest student at Princeton University, a star of the classroom and a deep[...]

Preventing Blindness, Saving Lives

Man and woman seated on director chairs on stage, engaging in a conversation with a projected image of vitamin A supplementation behind them, in a formal event or conference settingAs part of our 100th Anniversary Celebration, Helen Keller International hosted an informative and insightful presentation on the history and impact of Vitamin A Supplementation as an important blindness and malnutrition intervention, as well as some insight[...]