Effective altruism is about using evidence to help others as much as we can.
The main idea
- Some ways of helping do way more good than others. With the same money, one programme can help a hundred times more people than another.
- So we try to find the best ones. We look at the evidence, think it through honestly, and change our minds when we are wrong.
- Then we actually act on it - through our careers, our time and (for some of us, later on) our money.
A lot of the world's biggest problems that we can actually fix are here in Africa.
people died of malaria in 2024. About 95% of them lived in Africa, and most were children under five.
WHO World Malaria Report 2025of the world's children living in extreme poverty live in sub-Saharan Africa.
World Bank and UNICEF, 2025is roughly what the most cost-effective charities spend to save one life.
GiveWell estimates, which vary by programmeSome organisations doing amazing work in Africa
We talk about a few of them in our sessions.
| Organisation | Where | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| New Incentives | Northern Nigeria | Small cash payments to families when their children are vaccinated. One of GiveWell's top charities. |
| Malaria Consortium | The Sahel and Nigeria | Medicine given to young children during the rainy season, when malaria peaks. Another GiveWell top charity. |
| GiveDirectly | Kenya, Uganda, Malawi and more | Sends money straight to families living in poverty, and studies what happens next. |
| Lead Exposure Elimination Project | Malawi and other countries | Works with governments to get lead out of paint, which harms children's brains. |
| Family Empowerment Media | Nigeria | Radio campaigns that give people clear information about family planning. |
Questions people usually ask
Isn't this just utilitarianism?
Not really. A lot of people in effective altruism are utilitarians, but the main question - with limited time and money, how can I help others as much as possible? - makes sense in many ways of thinking. You can believe in rights, duties and caring for your family first and still find the question worth asking.
What about Sam Bankman-Fried and FTX?
He was a big donor to effective altruism causes, and in 2024 he was sentenced to 25 years in prison for fraud. It was a serious betrayal, and many people in the community say they trusted him too easily. It is a fair warning that big ideas can be misused, but it does not change whether bed nets prevent malaria.
Isn't it outsiders deciding what Africa needs?
Sometimes it is, and that criticism is fair. A lot of the money comes from rich countries. The better programmes leave the decisions to people on the ground - like cash that families decide how to spend, or medicine delivered through national health systems. Honestly, African students thinking about these questions is part of the answer.
Why not help my own community first?
You can, and nobody here will tell you not to. Most of us feel responsible for our family and community first. Effective altruism just asks one more question: when you also want to help others, where does your effort do the most good? Many people do both.
Do I have to give money?
No. Nobody in the club is asked to give anything. Giving is just one option, mostly for later in life, and only if you want to.
Is this a cult or a religion?
No. It is a community built around a question. There are no beliefs you have to accept and nobody can tell you what to do. People in the club disagree with each other all the time, and you can take a break or leave whenever you want.
Can I care about this and still have a normal career?
Yes, of course. Most people who take these ideas seriously have normal careers and give some of their time or money. That counts!
If you want to start reading
- Introduction to effective altruism, effectivealtruism.org. Fifteen minutes.
- Giving 101, GiveWell. How to tell whether a charity works.
- The 80,000 Hours career guide. Read it while you choose what to study.