Giving guide

Where to give in global health

Global health charities save and improve lives by preventing and treating diseases such as malaria, delivering vitamins and vaccines, and strengthening health systems in the world’s lowest-income countries. Interventions in this field are among the most cost-effective in all of philanthropy: a few dollars can protect a family from malaria or prevent a child from going blind through vitamin A deficiency.

This is also the most rigorously studied area of giving. Evaluators like GiveWell have spent tens of thousands of hours measuring cost-per-outcome, so the evidence for what actually works is unusually strong. The charities below are ranked by our composite GiveWise score, which draws on those independent evaluations.

The ranking

Top Global Health charities

14 organisations, ranked by GiveWise score. Each links to a full profile with its rating breakdown, financials, and a donate link.

1Against Malaria FoundationLong-lasting insecticidal bednets for malaria prevention in sub-Saharan Africa & beyond97Score100%To programs 2Partners In HealthLong-term, community-based health care for the world's poorest, from Haiti to Rwanda97Score90%To programs 3Malaria ConsortiumSeasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) — preventive medicine for children under 595Score92%To programs 4GiveWell Top Charities FundPooled fund directed to highest-impact global health programs94Score100%To programs 5Helen Keller InternationalVitamin A supplementation & nutrition programs reducing child mortality91Score90%To programs 6New IncentivesCash incentives to boost childhood vaccine uptake in northern Nigeria90Score88%To programs 7Fistula FoundationFunding surgeries that repair obstetric fistula and restore health to women worldwide90Score85%To programs 8Water.orgSmall, affordable loans that bring clean water and sanitation to families worldwide90Score74%To programs 9Seva FoundationRestoring sight and preventing blindness in underserved communities worldwide89Score80%To programs 10The Carter CenterAdvancing global health and peace — from near-eradicating Guinea worm to monitoring elections87Score82%To programs 11Dispensers for Safe WaterChlorine dispenser infrastructure for clean drinking water in rural sub-Saharan Africa86Score87%To programs 12SightsaversPreventing avoidable blindness and treating neglected tropical diseases in low-income countries85Score91%To programs 13Deworming the World InitiativeMass deworming programs targeting school-age children in high-burden regions83Score86%To programs 14WaterAid AmericaBringing clean water, decent toilets, and hygiene to the world's poorest communities82Score80%To programs

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Why are global health charities considered so cost-effective?
The most effective interventions — insecticidal bednets, vaccines, and nutrient supplements — are inexpensive, while the disease burden they address is enormous in the poorest countries. That combination produces an exceptional amount of measurable good per dollar.
How can I be confident my donation makes a difference?
Favour charities that publish cost-per-outcome figures and are backed by randomised-trial evidence, and that are independently reviewed by evaluators such as GiveWell or Charity Navigator. Every charity below links out to its evaluator record.
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