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Lucas Moore

A firsthand look at how high-impact giving is transforming lives in Nigeria — and why it’s so important to make donations go further.

What I learned about effective giving in Nigeria

I recently had the privilege of attending 

, where I connected with policymakers, practitioners, and community leaders to share Giving What We Can’s mission: promoting effective, high-impact giving. Along the way, I visited Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Health and met with some of our supported charities to better understand the scale of the challenges – and the opportunities – for improving well-being in this vibrant country.

Above: The Federal Ministry of Health in Nigeria’s capital city of Abuja.

a child born in Nigeria is 27 times more likely to die before their fifth birthday than one born in the UK

. That stark reality framed every conversation about health and development for me. And yet, despite the challenges they’re up against, a growing number of local and international partners are driving evidence-based interventions that offer real, measurable hope. Many of our recommended charities are part of this story:

 protects children by distributing preventative medication at times of high malaria transmission. In Nigeria, malaria remains one of the most pressing health challenges, 

accounting for 27 percent of cases worldwide

 just secured a deal to distribute 19.1 million mosquito nets across Nigeria in 2026–2027 which 

 will result in 10,000 lives saved, 7 million cases of malaria prevented, and a huge boost to Nigeria’s economic outlook.

 is tackling vitamin A deficiency, a serious health condition that robs millions of children of their sight and immunity. In the past year alone, they 

delivered two doses to 5.4 million under-5s in Nigeria

, helping protect an incredible number of families from the 

devastating consequences of nutrient deficiency

 is showing that small cash transfers can boost childhood immunisation rates by 

. When families are forced to choose between putting food on the table or paying for a motorbike taxi to a far-off clinic, even a modest incentive can help offset the real costs that stand in the way of getting their children vaccinated.

Several of the other programs we list on our donation platform (

So, what does effective giving look like in a country where the stakes couldn’t be higher?

I came to Nigeria representing Giving What We Can, a global community built around a simple question: 

How can we make our donations do the most good?

 With over 10,000 members around the world but only a single Nigerian pledger, we were keen to find out how people here see our mission and its relevance – especially in a country, and a region, where so many of our supported programs operate.

At the conference, I spoke with attendees from across Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa about these projects and about our broader aim: a world without preventable suffering or existential risk, where everyone has the chance to flourish. We pursue this by encouraging significant, effective giving as a social norm among those who can. I was humbled by how strongly the values of cost-effectiveness and rigorous impact resonated. By the end of the event, 19 new attendees had signed up to take a 

Above: Here I am with Abubakar Abdulfatah, a third-year mechatronics engineering student who was one of the 19 people who took a giving pledge at the conference.

Meeting people at this conference in Abuja underscored an important truth: those closest to these challenges understand better than anyone how critical it is to make every naira, every pound, every dollar go as far as possible. With resources stretched thin, and enormous cuts from traditional funders like USAID, there is little room for inefficiency.

As I boarded my flight back to London, I thought about the 19 new pledgers, and the impact that their donations would represent. I thought about the challenges facing millions of people in the country I was leaving, all of whom hope for a better life. I thought about my own 10% Pledge, how it feels simultaneously insignificant and enormous: insignificant in the face of all the work that needs to be done and enormous in the lives of those who it will affect.

In Abuja, I learned how giving really can impact people’s lives, not with the next global philanthropy fad, but with vaccines, mosquito nets, and vitamins; boring, but evidence-based interventions that add up to a better chance at childhood, and a better chance at life.

Note: All identifiable individuals who feature in this article have given their approval and consent in advance of publishing.

GWWC Team

Against Malaria Foundation shares details about their post-distribution monitoring survey process

This guest post from AMF explains why and how their team conducts post-distribution surveys to monitor impact.

A spotlight on Against Malaria Foundation's Post-Distribution Survey (PDM) process

Against Malaria Foundation's work is surprisingly simple. They distribute bed nets to households in need, reducing the death toll from a huge killer of children under 5: malaria. 

The results? Tremendous. With a $5 net, a fatal bite can be prevented. A child can live. Households who can't access medical care because of location or situation have free ammunition against one of their biggest public health threats.

Against Malaria Foundation (AMF) has long been one of our 

 — so we thought our readers might be interested in hearing about a lesser-known aspect of their work: post-distribution surveys. 

 It's when AMF — through partnerships with local organisations —  visits a selection of the households that received nets and follows up on net condition and usage, allowing the AMF team to adapt, iterate, and monitor their programs for maximum impact. 

We asked AMF to share some details about this important part of its work. Here's what they said.


From Planning to Field Work: How the Monitoring Process Works

Malaria remains one of the world's most persistent public health challenges, with an estimated 250 million cases occurring annually. Despite being preventable and treatable, this mosquito-borne disease continues to claim an estimated 600,000 lives each year, primarily among children under five and pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa.

The Against Malaria Foundation (AMF) works to reduce this burden by distributing long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs) in universal coverage campaigns. This is possible thanks to donations from generous people around the world. 100% of donations go to buy nets. For example, a $10 donation funds approximately five nets that will protect 10 people when they sleep at night.

Through partnerships with implementing organizations and national health ministries, AMF has distributed over 190 million nets to protect more than 350 million people from malaria. Each net distribution is carefully planned with accountability measures in place to ensure that nets go where intended. An example of this is digital data collection at household level during distribution. The information collected on smartphones or tablets accurately documents how many nets each family needs and receives. This enables universal coverage - typically one net for every two people - ensuring that entire regions can sleep protected from the bites of malaria-carrying mosquitoes.

AMF recognizes that distribution is just the beginning of effective malaria prevention. To verify that nets reached the households and continue protecting people over their expected 3-year lifespan, AMF partners with local organizations to conduct Post-Distribution Monitoring (PDM) surveys. These PDM surveys take place at regular intervals - typically at 9, 18, and 27 months after distribution. They track four key indicators: net presence (whether distributed nets remain in households), coverage (how many people sleep under nets), usage (whether people use the nets correctly), and condition (whether nets remain effective). AMF has conducted 150 PDM surveys across nine countries, collecting data from 2.4 million households across diverse and often challenging environments.

Above: Publicly shared 1-page report presenting results of PDM conducted in Akwa Ibom state, Nigeria.

For each monitoring round, AMF randomly selects villages and households across the entire area that has received nets, ensuring that no regions are excluded. This pre-selection process creates a fully random, unbiased sample — critical for reliable results. Even the most remote or difficult-to-reach households are included, preventing the monitoring from focusing only on convenient locations that might not represent an overall situation.

Above: Rebuild Hope for Africa data collector navigates a muddy rural road during post-distribution monitoring in Bas Uele, DRC

After arriving at a village, data collectors locate the selected households and obtain permission from the residents to conduct the interview. Once permission is granted, the interview can begin. One of the first steps involves capturing household GPS coordinates. While the household location is never publicly shared, the GPS coordinates provide an important layer of data quality verification. By comparing the data collector's current location with the coordinates recorded during distribution, supervisors can confirm that the correct households are being visited. This geographic validation is particularly valuable in areas without formal systems of household addresses.

During the interview, the electronic form guides the data collector through a standardised flow of questions. At each household, information is collected about the household composition and the sleeping arrangements and each present net is physically assessed. The questionnaire’s skip-logic functions streamline the interview by tailoring questions based on previous answers. For example, if a respondent indicates they have nets that are present but not hung, the form presents follow-up questions about reasons for non-use. This adaptive questioning reduces the complexity of the interview by ensuring only relevant questions are displayed, making the process more efficient and less confusing for both data collectors and respondents. By streamlining the interview experience in this way, the platform encourages more accurate and complete responses, improving the quality of the collected data.

Above: Net Assessment - Uganda PDM9 (implemented by Team Initiatives Limited)

Above: Net Assessment - Nigeria, Zamfara state PDM9 (implemented by eHealth Africa)

Throughout the process, there are multiple mechanisms that help to ensure there are no mistakes in the collected data. As an example, the questionnaire’s validation features ensure consistency and completeness of the responses. With partners, AMF has built into the system automatic checks to confirm responses make logical sense — for instance, checking that when a household reports receiving five nets during distribution but only has three now, they provide reasons for what happened to the missing two. If inconsistencies are detected, the data collector is alerted before progressing to the next question. Another mechanism is the 5% verification process, where a different set of data collectors go back to a random selection of 5% of the previously interviewed households, with no knowledge of the data previously collected. As both sets of data collectors ask the same questions, the answers can be compared. When the same key information is recorded in both visits, this indicates a reliable data collection. These systems give us confidence that the results of the PDM are accurate and so can feed into decisions and actions. At the end of the survey, all data is shared with national malaria programmes.

This monitoring system allows AMF to verify the impact of their distributions. The household-level data collected across thousands of communities provides a realistic picture of distribution effectiveness and shows how nets are being used in real-world settings. The evidence gathered through this process serves multiple purposes. It allows AMF to report with confidence to donors on the nets they have funded. This accountability and transparency builds high levels of confidence in AMF’s work. Additionally, by sharing the results with in-country partners, AMF can help to inform actions and policy adjustments based on this data.

More on AMF"s work

Founding one of the world's most effective charities | Rob Mather, AMF

Grace Adams

New effective giving data, new tools to guide your donations, and an important leadership update — all in our June newsletter.

What we achieved together — $80M donated in 2024 + 6x giving multiplier 

A LOT has happened this month – we’ve got a bunch of exciting updates to share, plus a bittersweet announcement from me.

For every dollar we spent across 2023 and 2024, we estimate that we caused around $6 to go to high-impact charities. 

You can read more about our findings – including additional context on our estimated 6x giving multiplier and how we’ll use our results going forward – on our 

 page. You'll also be able to access the full 100+ page research report if you’re so inclined! (Number of times “counterfactual” appears: 255 🤓)

Jokes aside, I'm so incredibly proud of what our community has been able to accomplish together.

An almost 900 incredible people took the 🔸10% Pledge in 2024.

That's almost 900 individuals who will donate, on average, around 

 over their lifetime to the people, animals, and causes that need it most.

It also shows renewed momentum: as a community of pledgers and donors, we donated over 

 to charity in 2024 alone. And compared to 600 new 🔸10% Pledgers in 2023, almost 900 new 🔸10% Pledges is 

a more than 50% acceleration of our growth

Our largest identifiable source of growth in 2024 was through referrals from friends and family so — whether you've taken a giving pledge, made a high-impact donation, or are just starting your effective giving journey — 

 for being with us in our mission to make giving effectively and significantly a societal norm.

Working for Giving What We Can and serving this community has been the greatest privilege of my career, but this chapter is coming to an end. As you 

, I have accepted the role of CEO of Effective Altruism Australia (EAA) and will be stepping down from my role at GWWC at the end of July. I will deeply miss engaging with this inspiring global community, but I am excited to continue to raise money for effective charities (and advocate for the 10% Pledge) in my new role at EAA. 

I am confident that the incredible team at Giving What We Can will carry our mission forward with care, ambition, and integrity. The world needs more dedicated, generous people who are willing to share what they have to help others, and this community is already more than 20,000 strong. I can’t wait to see it grow to one million.

 on the marketing team to help replace me! :)

P.S. Future newsletters will come from James Rayton, our Head of Community and Partnerships, and Alana Horowitz Friedman, our Content Lead. You’re in great hands!

Here are some of our favourite responses from people who took a pledge last m

What motivated you to take a pledge with Giving What We Can?

 blogs, announcements, & news from Giving What We Can

As mentioned above, we’ve published the results of our 2023-2024 impact evaluation, 

 to release two short films — our first venture into fictional storytelling about effective giving and the 10% Pledge. Check them out, leave a comment with your thoughts, and feel free to share them with friends as a lightweight introduction to effective giving and pledging!

10 of the best quotes from Rutger Bregman’s 

, is a great collection of zingers to make you stop and think…whether you’ve read the book or not. Plus, we take a little page from his playbook at the very end. Read it 

Our pledge booth at EAG London brought in 14 new 🔸10% Pledges and 17 new🔹Trial Pledges!

We've updated and simplified our main menu navigation to make it easier for you to find key resources, content, and info. Let us know what you think by filling out this 

Looking for tips to maximise your charitable impact? Check out our brand new 

 hub where you can browse some of our most helpful articles, explainers, and tools all in one place 🎉

Highlights from our community & the wider effective giving ecosystem

Animal Charity Evaluators would love you to fill out this (anonymous) 

 by June 30th. Your responses will help ACE evaluate the impact of its work on the animal advocacy movement, directly shaping future efforts.

A friendly reminder that the early application deadline for Ambitious Impact’s 

program is fast approaching on June 30th! 

As mentioned above, we're hiring for two new roles at Giving What We Can to help reach our ambitious goals: a 

. Applications are open until the positions are filled!

Animal Charity Evaluators is seeking a qualified independent consultant to conduct a feasibility study for its Charity Evaluations and Recommendations program. For more details, see the 

. Proposals will be reviewed on a rolling basis with a closing date of June 30th.

Centre for Effective Altruism is seeking a 

 with experience in grantmaking, philanthropic leadership, or related fields as well as experience leading and developing a senior team. This person will play a pivotal role in setting the strategy and vision to create a roadmap for success in 

GiveWell recently launched two new positions: 

Highlights from the high-impact programs we list on our platform along with evaluators & grantmakers in the effective giving space 

’s Alt Protein Project (APP) – a global student movement dedicated to turning universities into engines for alternative protein education, research, and innovation – was featured in 

! Have a listen to hear from GFI Europe’s Ismaël Bawah and members of the APP community, who share about the exciting projects they’re working on (including Latin America’s first fried cultivated chicken!)

 also released a first-of-its-kind plant-based meat consumer segmentation 

 that provides a framework to better understand distinct consumer groups that exist in the market, their needs and attitudes, and opportunities to grow plant-based meat adoption.

 published two new studies on effective messaging and strategies related to animal advocacy:

literature review and social media analysis

 exploring how advocates can more effectively promote plant-based diets in Southeast Asia — a region that is home to over nine billion farmed land animals.

Effective Communication With Political Staffers: A Framework For Animal Advocates

, which seeks to identify specific tactics needed to influence policy in the animal protection space, with insights from those working inside the legislative process. (This study aims to fill a gap in the research space, since existing materials focus more on general guidance than specific tactics.)

Strategy Researcher Simon Eckerström Liedholm represented 

European Vertebrate Management Conference

 in Slovenia last month to share and get input on his ongoing research on contraception and welfare.

With anticipated major reductions in US government foreign aid, including potential cuts of 20% to 50% to HIV/AIDS funding, 

 is assessing where new, cost-effective needs might emerge. In the 

 of its podcast series, GiveWell CEO and co-founder Elie Hassenfeld speaks with Program Officer Alice Redfern about an initial exploration into HIV/AIDS programming.

, and has now encouraged more than 75 million vaccinations in Nigeria.

how play-based learning is changing classrooms in Kitui

, which highlights its work in learning labs in Kenya.

 shared some impressive impact figures for 2024-2025: 27 million treatments for parasitic worm disease reaching over 18 million

, in partnership with ministries of health in six countries in sub-Saharan Africa. This work aims to cost-effectively bring an end to diseases like schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiases, which blight lives, fuel poverty and undermine economies.

, a platform for international experts, policymakers, and other key stakeholders to identify and reduce biosecurity risks associated with the convergence of artificial intelligence (AI) and the life sciences, is preparing to release a high-level Statement on AIxBio Risks. The statement is intended to help policymakers around the world understand AIxBio risks and prioritize action to reduce them.

 (AHS Index), launching in 2026, has begun, in partnership with Brown University Pandemic Center, Economist Impact, and Science for Africa Foundation. The AHS Index will enable leaders to measure, finance, and advance improvements in health security and create an evidence-based accountability framework to track progress toward better epidemic and pandemic preparedness in Africa.

 published a round-up of the AI research projects its Winter fellows worked on this year! Check it out here: 

Winter Fellowship 2025 Wrap Up - What Did Our Fellows Work On?

Other news from evaluators, grantmakers and incubators

(News from evaluators, grantmakers, and incubators that relates to global health, animal welfare, or global catastrophic risk reduction is now included in the “Cause Area News” section above!)

 has just announced the 10 charities selected for 

, based on their excellent applications and the highly promising nature of their work. Check out the list and learn more about ACE's evaluation process 

— enabling it to triple its grantmaking at this critical moment—and were profiled in 

 launched through its 2025 Spring Charity Entrepreneurship Incubation Program! These charities focus on animal welfare and global health and development, using direct and policy interventions to create impact.


who took the 10% Pledge in May! We are always very happy to see pledgers sharing their motivations on social media — as Christhian writes above, "I'm sharing this not for praise, but in the hope it might inspire someone else to take a step forward."

 and stay connected with us for more news and updates.

The Skeptic: Part 1

The Skeptic: Part II

Do you have any feedback on our newsletter or communications? 

 with Giving What We Can and effective giving.

Do you have questions about the pledge, Giving What We Can, or effective giving in general? Check out our 

Alana Horowitz Friedman

Ten provocative quotes from Rutger Bregman's Moral Ambition — and what they mean for effective giving.

10 of the best quotes from Rutger Bregman’s Moral Ambition

My favourite thing about Bregman’s new book 

 is its boldness. These days, we tend to tiptoe around morality — softening our convictions, reassuring others we don’t expect them to follow suit, doing whatever it takes to avoid sounding judgmental…or worse, being judged.

But Bregman turns that on its head. His book is packed with zingers that say to humanity: “What are you doing? Wake up! Act! Do it now!” He opens with a chapter titled “No, you’re not fine just the way you are”, and calls out the “Noble Loser” — someone who’s morally righteous but ultimately ineffective.

And yet, I never felt like he’d gone too far. If anything, his willingness to risk offence or seem extreme was refreshing — the kind of provocation we, as a society, badly need. No, you won’t agree with everything he says. But his zingers still cut really deep, precisely because they don’t shy away from making big, bold claims.

 quotes, roughly grouped into a few themes that stood out to me. Even if you haven’t read the book, these quotes stand on their own as powerful challenges to how we think about making a difference.

Blog

What I learned about effective giving in Nigeria

A spotlight on Against Malaria Foundation's Post-Distribution Survey (PDM) process

What we achieved together — $80M donated in 2024 + 6x giving multiplier

10 of the best quotes from Rutger Bregman’s Moral Ambition

May news: Inspiration from Rutger Bregman on The Daily Show

How to stop buying things you don’t need

April news: Big risks, small bites. AI, World Malaria Day, & more

Recalibrating for sustainable giving

Announcing our 2025 strategy

GWWC is retiring 10 initiatives