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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

2018 GiveWell Charity Recommendations of Evidence Action Programs

WASHINGTON, DC — November 26, 2018 — Evidence Action is excited to announce that GiveWell has recognized our two flagship programs this year.

Deworm the World Initiative received recognition as a top charity for the sixth consecutive year. Deworm the World reduces the global burden of parasitic worm infections by partnering with governments in Asia and Africa to launch, scale, and sustain mass school-based deworming programs that improve children’s health, education, and long-term productivity. In 2017, the Initiative reached more than 280 million children at an average cost of less than US$0.50 per child per treatment.

Dispensers for Safe Water again received recognition as a standout charity. The Dispensers for Safe Water program provides access to safe water for rural communities in Sub-Saharan Africa by installing chlorine dispensers next to communal water points and promoting community-wide water treatment that prevents water-borne diseases and reduces deaths of children under the age of 5. The program reaches roughly 4 million people, at a cost of $1.28 per person per year.

GiveWell is a nonprofit “dedicated to finding outstanding giving opportunities through in-depth analysis.” It identifies top charities using four criteria: evidence of effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, transparency, and room for more funding.  

We, too, rigorously evaluate our programs to ensure that they provide measurable impact at scale. This year, we agreed with GiveWell that No Lean Season, a program within our Beta incubator, should not be a top charity in 2018. Though No Lean Season was named a top charity at the end of 2017, the first randomized evaluation of the program at scale showed no effect on the key outcomes of interest. Following the evidence, we are not seeking further funding for No Lean Season at this time, and will rigorously evaluate an improved version of the program this year – further details on this decision can be found on our blog.

GiveWell’s recognition of our flagship programs is an important benchmark of our progress in scaling evidence-based and cost-effective programs to reduce the burden of poverty. We hope this recommendation instills confidence in our supporters that any gift – no matter the size – will have a meaningful impact.

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