Categories
Thinking

New year’s donations

In 2013, I took the Giving What We Can pledge.

It states that I’ll give 10% of my income to effective charities working to reduce global poverty.

As a result, for 2014, 2015, and 2016, I’ve given £3,300, £3,500£1,605. This represents:

  • 717 long-lasting insecticidal mosquito nets distributed via the Against Malaria Foundation;
  • 3,023 neglected tropical disease treatments provided by the Schistosomiasis Control Initiative;
  • 4,762 neglected tropical disease treatments provided by Deworm the World; and
  • an unspecified amount of micronutrients given to kids via Project Healthy Children.

So, the theory goes, I’ve saved the lives of a few children. Hurray!

I earned £27,300 in 2017, so I’m about to donate another £2,730.

Categories
Thinking

How to do more good this year

It’s about this time of year that in a moderately hungover fashion, I cast my mind back and ponder what I have achieved in the last 12 months.

In my day job and as a volunteer, I work at trying to increase public participation in governance.

And I do ultimately think that a more democratic system of governance – across political deliberation, decision making and across public services, coupled with citizenship education and better informed citizens – is the kind of systemic change required to solve the big problems.

However…

I’m aware that this systemic shift might take a while.

In the meantime, it makes me happy to think that each of us still has the capacity to be extremely effective in making the world a better place. That is, increasing the net wellbeing of everyone on the planet.

There are now nearly 1,500 members of Giving What We Can, the network of folks who donate a significant proportion of their salary to do as much good as they can. This is typically realised as donations to low-cost high-impact health interventions. So far, the membership has donated $10m, and is projected to give $500m over members’ lifetimes.

For me, in 2015, I earned £35,000 (before tax). I’m donating £3,500 to their trust, which in turn passes the money to four charities:

  • Against Malaria Foundation
  • Schistosomiasis Control Initiative
  • Deworm the World
  • Project Healthy Children

According to the number-crunchers this should be enough to:

  • distribute 600+ bed nets to prevent malaria; or
  • 3,000+ deworming treatments

…the equivalent to saving at least one life this year.

That’s a Happy New Year.

Learn more (and even try it out) here.

P.S. I’ve also tried to offset my carbon footprint separately with the great Cool Earth and 350.org.

(Photo credit: BY-NC-ND 2.0 Paul Brock Photography)

Categories
Reviewing

One resolution fulfilled: my 2014 charitable giving

Exactly one year ago, I took the Giving What We Can pledge. It’s a commitment to contribute 10% of my salary to the most effective efforts to end global poverty.

This post details what I’ve done about it and hopefully encourages others to join the fun.