Is Helen Keller Intl a good charity?

GiveWell Top Charity. Gives children under five regular vitamin A supplements, which help prevent deaths from common childhood infections. We don't rate charities ourselves; we report what independent evaluators publish, with links so you can check.

How much does it cost Helen Keller Intl to save a life?

GiveWell estimates $3,500 per life saved (2022–2024 average). This is an average from the evaluator's model, not a price: it is modeled, not guaranteed.

Can I give to Helen Keller Intl through a donor-advised fund?

Usually, yes. Your sponsor will need the EIN, 13-5562162. Your sponsor's own rules apply.

Does Did it work? take a cut or get paid for listing this charity?

No. We don't take, hold or route donations, we don't charge charities, and no one can pay to change what we show.

We last reviewed this charity's record on October 1, 2026. Evaluators update their figures, so check the linked sources before a large gift.

GiveWell Top Charity · Nutrition

Helen Keller Intl

Name: Helen Keller Intl: published evaluator figures
Creator: Did it work?

Gives children under five regular vitamin A supplements, which help prevent deaths from common childhood infections.

GiveWell's estimate

$3,500 per life saved

$2 per child, per year of vitamin A · 2022–2024 average

GiveWell, 2022–2024 average (opens in a new tab)

Modeled, not guaranteed. This is the evaluator's best estimate of the average, built from studies and assumptions. Your gift could do more or less. How to read these figures

Very strong

Strength of evidence, as rated by GiveWell

Donate on Helen Keller Intl's site Read GiveWell's review

We never handle your money. You give on the charity's own site or through your own fund.

The published figures

Every figure below is copied exactly as the evaluator published it, with a link to the source.

What it measures	Figure	Source
Cost per life saved	$3,500 per life saved2022–2024 average	GiveWell (opens in a new tab)
Cost per child-year of vitamin A	$2 per child, per year of vitamin A2022–2024 average	GiveWell (opens in a new tab)

Cost-effectiveness figures are modeled, not guaranteed.

Compare side by side

Charities GiveWell measures the same way.

How strong is the evidence?

Very strong, according to GiveWell.

GiveWell rates vitamin A supplementation evidence as very strong; many high-quality studies show impact though results vary by study.

What the evaluator is unsure about

Whether vitamin A supplementation remains as effective amid improved child health since older trials; some studies find small or no effects.
Coverage surveys often cover only one campaign round / selected districts; potential non-representativeness.
Wide variation / possible incomplete other-actor costs in some countries.

Ways to give

Directly

On the charity's site

The simplest route: give by card or bank transfer on Helen Keller Intl's own donation page.

Go to the donation page (opens in a new tab)

Donor-advised fund

Through your DAF

Recommend a grant through your fund sponsor. They will need the legal name, Helen Keller International, Inc., and EIN 13-5562162.

Let the experts decide

GiveWell Top Charities Fund

Gives to this charity and the other Top Charities wherever GiveWell judges the need is greatest.

About the fund

It appears in the IRS's public list of tax-exempt charities (we checked on October 1, 2026). Whether your gift is deductible depends on your own situation, so please confirm with your tax advisor.

Did it work? Our follow-up

We keep a permanent, dated record of what GiveWell published, and we will check it again against GiveWell's later updates. That is how, over time, we can tell you whether the estimates held up.

$3,500 per life saved
Recorded October 21, 2026 · re-check after October 1, 2027
Waiting for the re-check See the record: cost per life saved

Status: waiting for the scheduled re-check. A record is a promise to look again, not a measured result. All follow-up records

Questions donors ask

Is Helen Keller Intl a good charity?: GiveWell Top Charity. Gives children under five regular vitamin A supplements, which help prevent deaths from common childhood infections. We don't rate charities ourselves; we report what independent evaluators publish, with links so you can check.
How much does it cost Helen Keller Intl to save a life?: GiveWell estimates $3,500 per life saved (2022–2024 average). This is an average from the evaluator's model, not a price: it is modeled, not guaranteed.
Can I give to Helen Keller Intl through a donor-advised fund?: Usually, yes. Your sponsor will need the EIN, 13-5562162. Your sponsor's own rules apply.
Is a donation to Helen Keller Intl tax-deductible?: It appears in the IRS's public list of tax-exempt charities (we checked on October 1, 2026). Whether your gift is deductible depends on your own situation, so please confirm with your tax advisor. Nothing here is tax advice.
Does Did it work? take a cut or get paid for listing this charity?: No. We don't take, hold or route donations, we don't charge charities, and no one can pay to change what we show.
How current is this?: We last reviewed this charity's record on October 1, 2026. Evaluators update their figures, so check the linked sources before a large gift.

Cite or share this page

Please cite the evaluator too. Suggested citation:

Did it work?, "Helen Keller Intl: evidence and published figures," https://diditwork.org/charities/helen-keller-intl

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