Living Goods is a nonprofit organization that runs a network of micro-entrepreneurs, known as “community health providers” (CHPs), who sell health and household goods door-to-door in Uganda and Kenya and provide basic health counseling.
Evaluation
A cluster randomized controlled trial found a 27% mortality decrease among young children in Ugandan villages visited by CHPs.[1] Partly on the basis of these findings, in 2014 GiveWell estimated Living Goods’ cost per life saved to be in the range of $10,000,[2] and rated it a standout charity every year until 2021, when that designation was discontinued.[2] An update published in 2016 noted a few developments in the intervening period, but did not revise that estimate or alter its rating.[3]
As of July 2022, Living Goods has received $1.1 in funding from Open Philanthropy,[4] and is also featured in The Life You Can Save’s list of “best charities”.[5]
Further reading
Capriati, Marinella (2019) A conversation with Martina Björkman Nyqvist, GiveWell, August 19.
External links
Living Goods. Official website.
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Björkman Nyqvist, Martina et al. (2019) Reducing child mortality in the last mile: Experimental evidence on community health promoters in Uganda, American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, vol. 11, pp. 155–192.
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GiveWell (2014) Living Goods, GiveWell, November.
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GiveWell (2016) Living Goods – Mid-2016 update, GiveWell, September.
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Open Philanthropy (2022) Grants database: Living Goods, Open Philanthropy.
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The Life You Can Save (2021) Living Goods, The Life You Can Save.