Part A Estimating the Impact of Donating 10% of My Lifetime Income
I’ve always been fascinated by the idea that a single decision, like where to donate money, could have an impact that stretches across communities and even generations. If I were to donate 10% of my lifetime income, say $100,000, I’d want to ensure it goes somewhere it can do the most good. I explored three top charities recommended by GiveWell the Against Malaria Foundation (AMF), Malaria Consortium, and Helen Keller International. And here is what i would go for.
Against Malaria Foundation (AMF) AMF distributes insecticide-treated bed nets to protect people from malaria, one of the world’s deadliest diseases. According to GiveWell, it costs around $3,000 to $5,500 to save one life through AMF’s programs.
If I donated $100,000, that could save about 18 lives, preventing families from losing loved ones to an entirely preventable disease.
Malaria Consortium This organization runs a program called Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC), which provides preventive medication to children during peak malaria seasons. Studies suggest that SMC significantly reduces malaria cases and deaths.
While the exact number of lives saved per dollar isn’t as clearly defined as AMF’s, a donation of $100,000 would protect thousands of children and prevent untold suffering.
Helen Keller International This charity focuses on fighting vitamin A deficiency, which causes blindness and weakens immune systems in children. Their supplementation programs are cost-effective and have been linked to significant reductions in child mortality.
A donation of $100,000 could fund vitamin A supplements for hundreds of thousands of children, improving their health and chances of survival.
Part B Where Would I Donate $1,000?
If I had to choose just one of these organizations to donate $1,000 to, I would pick the Against Malaria Foundation (AMF).
Why? Because AMF has a well-documented track record, and the cost-effectiveness of their work is clear. Knowing that a simple bed net could mean the difference between life and death for a child makes this an easy decision for me. Even with just $1,000, I could contribute to protecting dozens of people from malaria, and that’s a tangible impact I’d feel good about.
Part C Applying This Approach to Other Life Decisions
This exercise made me think about how I can use a similar approach in my own life, beyond charitable giving. Here are some decisions I will be using a cost benefit analysis to
Career Choices I will compare potential salaries, job satisfaction, and long-term stability when deciding on a career path. A high-paying job might look great on paper, but if it comes at the expense of happiness and well-being, is it really worth it?
Education Investments Before enrolling in a degree or training program, i will weigh the cost of tuition against potential earnings. Some degrees have a much higher return on investment than others.
Major Purchases Should I buy a house or keep renting? Instead of going with gut feeling, I will break down the numbers, mortgage costs, market trends, and long term benefits.
Health & Wellness Preventive healthcare might seem like an unnecessary expense in the moment, but if it reduces the risk of major illnesses down the road, it’s actually a great investment.
Part A Estimating the Impact of Donating 10% of My Lifetime Income
I’ve always been fascinated by the idea that a single decision, like where to donate money, could have an impact that stretches across communities and even generations. If I were to donate 10% of my lifetime income, say $100,000, I’d want to ensure it goes somewhere it can do the most good. I explored three top charities recommended by GiveWell the Against Malaria Foundation (AMF), Malaria Consortium, and Helen Keller International. And here is what i would go for.
Against Malaria Foundation (AMF)
AMF distributes insecticide-treated bed nets to protect people from malaria, one of the world’s deadliest diseases. According to GiveWell, it costs around $3,000 to $5,500 to save one life through AMF’s programs.
If I donated $100,000, that could save about 18 lives, preventing families from losing loved ones to an entirely preventable disease.
Malaria Consortium
This organization runs a program called Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC), which provides preventive medication to children during peak malaria seasons. Studies suggest that SMC significantly reduces malaria cases and deaths.
While the exact number of lives saved per dollar isn’t as clearly defined as AMF’s, a donation of $100,000 would protect thousands of children and prevent untold suffering.
Helen Keller International
This charity focuses on fighting vitamin A deficiency, which causes blindness and weakens immune systems in children. Their supplementation programs are cost-effective and have been linked to significant reductions in child mortality.
A donation of $100,000 could fund vitamin A supplements for hundreds of thousands of children, improving their health and chances of survival.
Part B Where Would I Donate $1,000?
If I had to choose just one of these organizations to donate $1,000 to, I would pick the Against Malaria Foundation (AMF).
Why? Because AMF has a well-documented track record, and the cost-effectiveness of their work is clear. Knowing that a simple bed net could mean the difference between life and death for a child makes this an easy decision for me. Even with just $1,000, I could contribute to protecting dozens of people from malaria, and that’s a tangible impact I’d feel good about.
Part C Applying This Approach to Other Life Decisions
This exercise made me think about how I can use a similar approach in my own life, beyond charitable giving. Here are some decisions I will be using a cost benefit analysis to
Career Choices I will compare potential salaries, job satisfaction, and long-term stability when deciding on a career path. A high-paying job might look great on paper, but if it comes at the expense of happiness and well-being, is it really worth it?
Education Investments Before enrolling in a degree or training program, i will weigh the cost of tuition against potential earnings. Some degrees have a much higher return on investment than others.
Major Purchases Should I buy a house or keep renting? Instead of going with gut feeling, I will break down the numbers, mortgage costs, market trends, and long term benefits.
Health & Wellness Preventive healthcare might seem like an unnecessary expense in the moment, but if it reduces the risk of major illnesses down the road, it’s actually a great investment.