Who We Are
Evidence Action was founded in 2013 to address a big gap in the way we face global problems–many of the most promising interventions are either implemented at a very small scale, or not at all. We set out to address this gap by building programs that would scale evidence-based and cost-effective interventions, in the hopes of building a world where hundreds of millions of people have better opportunities and their lives are measurably improved.
In less than a decade, our two flagship programs, the Deworm the World Initiative and Dispensers for Safe Water have grown to measurably impact over 280 million people each year, and our Accelerator is hard at work identifying the next generation of interventions that we can scale to reach millions more.
What We Do
Our Deworm the World Initiative helps national partners launch, scale, and sustain school-based deworming programs. Over 868 million children globally are at risk of contracting parasitic worm infections. If left untreated, infections can lead to anemia, malnourishment, and impaired mental and physical development—ultimately affecting children’s educational outcomes and income as adults. Our program brings free treatment to children at their schools instead of placing the burden on the families to obtain it. Rigorous research shows that deworming leads to significant improvements to children’s health, education, and long-term wellbeing.
“I used to think education was the key to solving world poverty. But then I realized that there is no use in offering education if children are too sick to even attend school. With the small amount I can offer, I hope to cure some children and give them the opportunity to attend school.” – Araminta R., Donor to Evidence Action.
Our Dispensers for Safe Water program delivers free and reliable access to safe water for 4 million people in rural Kenya, Uganda, and Malawi. In rural parts of low-income countries, most water sources are untreated, meaning that water is not safe to drink directly from the source. Our uniquely-engineered chlorine dispensers are installed next to commonly-used water sources, enabling people to treat their water using a safe and pre-measured dose of chlorine. The chlorine stays active for 2-3 days, ensuring water doesn’t get re-contaminated even when stored at home. In 2019, our program averted over 380,000 cases of diarrhea among children, one of the main causes of childhood mortality in the countries where we operate.
“We take our many gifts, including safe drinking water, for granted in the USA; since I have been gifted this from no earned grace of my own it is the least I can do to help others less fortunate.” – Joseph B., Donor to Evidence Action.
Evidence Action Accelerator is our engine for new program development that selects, optimizes, and scales interventions with the highest potential to measurably improve the lives of millions of people in the world’s poorest places. We are currently accelerating two promising health solutions: working with national partners in Liberia to detect and treat maternal syphilis, with the aim of preventing thousands of child deaths and disabilities each year; and supporting the national partners in India to improve the distribution of iron and folic acid supplementation to millions of children and adolescents —treating iron deficiency anemia, one of the main causes of disability in the country.
“My husband and I wanted to find an organization that used research-backed and responsible methods for discovering what kind of aid is needed and where. We love the mission and science behind Evidence Action.” – Susie C., Donor to Evidence Action
Why We Do It
Evidence Action has been recognized by several charity evaluators
