Speaking Technically: Dr. Al Sommer on the Surprising Discovery of Vitamin A
In the 1970s, experts from Helen Keller Intl spearheaded research on vitamin A that has helped save millions of lives and shaped the organization’s work for decades. Dr. Al Sommer, now Professor and Dean Emeritus of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, led one of the studies that resulted in a groundbreaking discovery […]
Saving Sight and Lives with Micro but Mighty Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a micronutrient that is critical to children’s growing bodies and brains. A single capsule of vitamin A – at a little more than $1 each – given to children twice a year until their fifth birthday can literally save their sight and lives. However, vitamin A-rich foods are also often either not […]
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 […]
Helping People See True Potential
Impaired vision can cause long-lasting challenges for children and adults throughout their lives. In childhood, poor vision will make it more difficult for a student to fully engage in the classroom and with her peers, putting her education at risk. This can start a downward spiral, especially for a child already experiencing poverty. As she […]
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 […]
Helping Mothers in Sierra Leone Build Brighter Futures for Themselves and Their Babies
In a small community health clinic in Matotoka township in the northern provinces of Sierra Leone, 25-year-old Kadiatu Bangura cradles her six-month-old baby, Gabriel, with pride. Nurse Aminata Conteh gives Gabriel four droplets of vitamin A, a crucial micronutrient that helps build strong immune systems and protect vision, especially for children under the age of […]
From Vitamin A Skeptic to True Believer
Four-year-old Abdoul Aziz Coulibaly was always sick, until his family discovered vitamin A. Abdoul is the youngest of four siblings living with their parents in a small village called Massala in south-central Mali. Though the family has limited financial means, they enjoyed good health overall — except for Abdoul. “From the time he was about […]
Going the distance to ensure lifesaving vitamin A
It’s a bright and sunny day in Mbalmayo, Cameroon, and youthful laughter fills the air. There’s joy in children’s voices as they call to one another playfully, sharing stories of their activities at school. I know the importance of vitamin A, how it strengthens the bones of children, promotes their growth, and fights against diseases… […]
Helping Children Fulfill Their True Potential
COVID-19, climate change, and conflicts have added new challenges to our already fragile healthcare and food systems, making it much harder for families to get the nutrition and health care they need. 1 in 10 people on the planet faces the worst hunger crisis in modern history. Without our action, millions of children will suffer […]
Supporting Children’s Health with Vitamin A in Senegal
In the Saint Louis region of Senegal, almost half the population lives on less than $2 a day. The high rates of poverty also mean that many children lack access to nutritious food, and vitamin A deficiency is extremely high. This important micronutrient is crucial for strengthening vision, building immune systems to fight illness, and […]
