Giving game

GIVING GAMEDecember 9, 2013

Presented by Jon BeharDirector of Philanthropy Education at The Life You Can Save

"Every genuine experience of moral doubt and perplexity in which we ask 'What should I do?' takes place in a situation where good

conflicts with good."

Charles Johnson, Notes on a Personal Philosophy of Life

How will this Giving Game work?• Learn about three of The Life You Can Save’s top recommended

charities• Group discussion about which is the best giving opportunity

• Vote on where to donate $1,000 in real money• First place: $600• Second place: $300• Third place $100

• Who’s sponsoring the donation• The Life You Can Save, a non-profit dedicated to spreading awareness of what

we can all do to fight global poverty• Members of the local community

Who is a philanthropist?

“A philanthropist is anyone who gives anything—time, money, experience, skills, and networks

—in any amount, to create a better world.”

Laura Arrillaga-AndreesenAuthor of Giving 2.0

Founder and Board Chairman of Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society

Philanthropists face difficult questions

…both conceptual …and practicalWho should I try to help? Which organizations do the work I

care about?

How should I try to help them? How will charities spend incremental donations?

What are my most important values?

What evidence is there that a charity’s programs work as intended?

Where should we direct our resources?

TimeMoneyExperienceSkillsNetworks ?

Few donors research their giving

Better giving by individuals could be transformative

Better information => Better outcomes

Source: Hewlett Foundation

An exciting time to give

“Trying to maximize the good I accomplish with both my hours and my dollars is an intellectually engaging challenge. It makes my life feel more meaningful and more important. It’s a way of

trying to have an impact and significance beyond my daily experience.”

-Holden Karnofsky, co-founder of GiveWell

Fistula Foundation believes no woman should endure a life of misery and isolation simply for trying to bring a child into this world.

What is a fistula?

Obstetric fistula is a childbirth injury caused by prolonged, unrelieved obstructed labor that renders a woman incontinent – an injury that can only be treated through surgery.

What happens when there’s no doctor?

•More than 75% of women with fistula have endured labor lasting three days or more. • Their babies likely die, and they are often left with a fistula which renders them incontinent

The 21st Century’s Lepers

“Maternal health is woefully neglected and those suffering fistulas are completely voiceless – young, female, poor, rural, and ostracized. They are the 21st century’s lepers.”

Nicholas KristofThe New York Times

Still a widespread problem•Up to half a million women suffer from fistula• Tens of thousands of new cases each year• Less than half of new cases are treated• Fistula is most prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia

The Fistula Foundation’s role• Started by supporting Ethiopian hospital with 90% successful surgery rate• Surgeries to repair fistula cost only ~$450•Partners with and funds local health care professionals after rigorous screening•Now working in 19 countries in Asia and Africa

What program for school-age kids could…

•Reduce school absenteeism by 25%• Lead to 4% more total years of schooling•Give participants a 6% higher likelihood of reporting being in “very good” health as young adults•Over the long-term, increase adult wage earnings by 23%

The answer: de-worming!

The facts about worms• Small parasitic worms live in peoples’ intestines and urinary tracts•Worm infections lead to anemia and malnourishment• 300 million people suffer severe illness, and over half are school aged children.

The solution: de-worming at schools• Thorough coverage reaches entire generations•One treatment addresses many of the most problematic diseases•Well-tested, well-understood intervention

All for spare change. Literally.• The total cost per child is less that 50 cents per year!•Rated as a “best buy” in both education and health

GiveDirectly is focused exclusivelyon giving to the poorest possible

households at the lowest possiblecost.

How does it work?

1. You donate through their website.

2. They locate poor households in Kenya.

3. Your donation is transferred electronically to a recipient's cell phone.

4. The recipient uses the transfer to pursue his or her own goals.

Impact•Households can use the money for whatever is most important to them. •Common uses include:• installing a tin roof• buying food

•paying education and medical expenses• starting or expanding businesses (e.g. rearing chickens, or vending goods)

Where does the money go?• Total of $1,000 over one to two years per recipient household, or $200 per household member for the average household. •Grants sized to be well-understood, and fair.

Impact

Discussion about who to give to

Fistula Foundation?

Deworm the World?

Give Directly?

And the winner is…

Thank you from The Life You Can Save