Biology:Deworm the World Initiative

Short description: International initiative for school-based deworming

The Deworm the World Initiative is a program led by the nonprofit Evidence Action that works to support governments in developing school-based deworming programs in Kenya, India , Ethiopia, and Vietnam.

Deworm the World works with the Schistosomiasis Control Initiative in supporting Ethiopia's national school-based deworming program.

History

In 2000, Michael Kremer published a journal article that stated that deworming children in Kenya not only improves their health but also increases school participation. However, there is no effect on academic test scores or grades. However, reanalysis of the data by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine in 2015 found that the original paper had calculation errors and deworming may not improve school participation. Otherwise, other conclusions drawn by Kremer are reproducible.

The initiative was originally an independent organization called Deworm the World, co-founded by development economist Michael Kremer.

GiveWell

In November 2015, GiveWell recommended that Good Ventures donate $10.8 million to the organization, and identified a funding gap of $11.4 million for the organization, though the entire funding for the organization's planned 2016 activities were covered.

In November 2016, GiveWell recommended that Good Ventures donate $4.5 million to the organization, out of Good Ventures' $50 million budget for GiveWell's top charities.