Good Nutrition Starts with Moms
Nearly half of all child deaths are attributed to malnutrition – more than AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, and COVID-19 combined. What many don’t realize, however, is that malnutrition often starts in the womb. In fact, every year, maternal malnutrition leads to an estimated 800,000 deaths among newborns. Ensuring Healthy Starts for Children The first 1,000 days of […]
Global Relief Society Women Lead Worldwide Initiative to Support Communities in Alleviating Child Malnutrition and Enhancing Maternal Health
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints joins with eight leading nonprofit organizations to improve maternal and child health worldwide. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, June 12, 2024 – Today, the Relief Society General Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announces the expansion of the Church’s global efforts […]
3 Things I’m Optimistic About in 2024
Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence. Helen Keller On January 1st, I stepped into some very big shoes as Helen Keller Intl’s new President and Chief Executive Officer. Together, we are 20 countries strong, helping more than 70 million children and family members create lasting […]
2023 Year in Review: Forces for Good [Photo Essay]
Every day, members of the Helen Keller Intl community are choosing to be forces for good. Community health heroes, entrepreneurs, parents, youth, and Helen Keller staff work tirelessly to help improve health, nutrition, and vision for people in their communities, countries, and around the world. We’re highlighting some of the incredible contributions made by members […]
Cultivating Economic Security through Farming in Nepal
In Nepal’s remote, mountainous Taplejung district, Pemba Doma Sherpa harvests vegetables from her fields on a steep hillside. She sells her produce at the local market twice a week, providing enough money to support her family and send her two daughters to private school. However, Pemba’s finances weren’t always so secure. She used to work […]
Helen Keller’s Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potatoes Lead Nutrition in Nepal
52-year-old Bishwo Nepal and his wife Gayatri Nepal remember almost losing their whole harvest the first year they farmed. Only one crop survived: orange-fleshed sweet potatoes. Bishwo was able to sell his sweet potato harvest earning enough money to save the family farm and perhaps their livelihood. The couple lives in the Bahrabise Municipality, in […]
Looking Bravely: Breastfeeding Education in Nepal
We recently spoke with Nisha Sharma, a specialist in child feeding in Nepal. Since joining Helen Keller Intl in 2010, Nisha has conducted research about breastfeeding practices, the marketing of baby formula, and other issues with the dual goals of influencing public policy and further enhancing our evidence-based support for mothers and infants. Her role […]
Taking Action to Combat Hunger
In just three years, the ravages of COVID-19 reversed decades of progress in the fight against malnutrition. Compounded by the damaging effects of climate change and armed conflicts, most notably in Ukraine, this crisis fuels increased threats of famine in vulnerable communities. The United Nations estimates 345 million people worldwide face severe food shortages — […]
New parents strive to make their next meal more accessible
Relying on day-to-day income has never been comfortable for Nirmala and Laxman Basnet. The couple, from a remote village in Nepal’s mountainous Bhojpur District, earns roughly $7 US per day – not enough to afford the steeply rising prices of daily necessities. And now with a newborn son, the couple is anxious. Only a few […]
As hunger mounts, children are at greatest risk
The combined effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate crises, and war in Ukraine have delivered a terrible blow to families already struggling with decades of local conflicts, terrorism, and broken food and healthcare systems. Widespread food and fuel shortages, along with inflation rates rising into the double digits, make it nearly impossible for families to […]
