Helen Keller International Europe

En français

Helen Keller International was founded in 1915 in Paris as “The British, French, Belgian Permanent Blind Relief War Fund” to help veterans blinded during World War I. During the first decades of the organization's existence, its programs provided useful services to veterans and civilians in Europe, including offering rehabilitation and practical skills to the blind, as well as printing and distributing publications in Braille. In 1998, HKI reopened an office in Paris with the dual purpose of raising funds and visibility in Europe.

Programs and Activities

In 2001, in partnership with TOTAL, PTTEP, UNOCAL and MOGE, HKI-Europe set up a new blindness prevention program in the Union of Myanmar. The program aims to enhance existing cataract surgery capacity and to control trachoma. These goals are achieved through the donation of ophthalmic equipment and intraocular implants, training of doctors and surgeons, training of hospital technicians in the upkeep and servicing of the equipment, the donation of generators and motorcycles for outreach activities, and regular monitoring and evaluation of results. The program is contracted to continue until 2007.

The HKI-Europe / TOTAL partnership will soon be extended to benefit Indonesia. In the Kalimantan region, HKI is implementing a 3-year program focusing on health, vision and nutrition to build a sustainable community health/nutrition infrastructure. The first phase will assess the existing community health system, cataract services, and capacity for providing school-based eyeglasses. The second phase will address the enhancement of the community health and nutrition infrastructure through nutrition education and training of health workers, development of a cataract service program, and creation of a school- and “posyandu” (rural health extension clinic)- based eyeglasses program for adults and children.

In January 2003, HKI-Europe partnered with Essilor International to provide financial support of our vitamin A distribution program in Mali. Essilor International also provides lenses to HKI’s ChildSight® program around the world. A new proposal is currently under discussion to develop a pilot project to fight refractive error in periurban zones of Morocco.

In addition, fundraising activities in Europe have helped existing HKI projects in Bangladesh, Brazil, Cambodia, Mali, Mexico, Nepal, the Philippines and Vietnam and have provided support to the Asian tsunami disaster relief efforts. Click here to read HKI's latest Tsunami Relief Bulletin.

In May 2005, HKI will celebrate its 90th anniversary with a major fundraising reception, held in its birthplace of Paris.

Board of Directors

Howard C. Cohn, M.D. (President), Ophthalmologist

Patrick Albrand, Managing Director, Hines France

Bertrand Badré, Financial Director, Crédit Agricole Group

Frédéric Beauvais, Associate Director, Phora Capital Advisors

Henri Chibret, Foundator and President, Laboratoires Théa

Christiane Guerlain, Board of Governors, American Hospital in Paris

Olivier Le Quoy, M.D., Ophthalmologist

Diane Segalen, Vice Chirman CTPartners

Sally Shelton-Colby, Ex Director, Innovacion Mexico

Kathy Spahn, CEO Helen Keller International

My Linh Vu-Gregoire (Vice President), (Founding Member), Partner, Jones Day, Paris

Bernard Van Marken (Treasurer), Retired Director, MeesPierson, The Netherlands

Key Staff

Alix de Nicolay - Managing Director Helen Keller International Europe

Caroline Talman - Director of Development

Charlotte Gavois - Executive Assistant

Volunteer Staff

Steven Mohl

Photo: Helen Keller visiting a military hospital,1943 (Coutesy of AFB)

We are never really happy until we try to brighten the lives of others.

—Helen Keller

Contact Information:

Helen Keller International Europe

Programs and Activities

Program Partners

Board of Directors

Key Staff

Volunteer Staff