International movement aims to fight extreme poverty through effective giving
By Julieanne Acosta, November 15 2022—
One for the World is a worldwide movement that is committed to addressing preventable diseases and global poverty through charitable giving. The organization runs in a chapter installed at the University of Calgary.
In an interview with the Gauntlet, co-presidents Haris Ahmad and Tyra Fernandes spoke about the organization and what is done with students’ money should they choose to donate.
“One for the World is based on the idea of effective giving,” said Ahmad. “Depending on where you donate your money, it’s going to have a different impact.”
Ahmad and Fernandes have both been active members of the club and explain how One for the World gives people a different experience when they donate money.
“I used to donate to charities and I never got any information from them about how they would use my money or what the tangible effects were of what I was donating,” said Fernandes. “With One for the World, they actually tell you what the money you’re donating will go towards and how many people it will affect.”
“It was honestly disheartening to donate money and then wonder what [its effects were],” added Ahmad. “It felt a bit performative for me because I was donating without knowing if it was making a meaningful impact.”
One for the World operates with an independent non-profit evaluator called GiveWell. GiveWell analyzes non-profit organizations and creates a portfolio for individuals who choose to donate to One for the World.
“[GiveWell] evaluates the most effective charities and then from that, people can take the 1 per cent pledge and donate to either one or all charities,” said Fernandes.
Those who choose to donate to One for the World can take the one per cent pledge, which commits one per cent of their current or future income.
“You may think you need to contribute more to have an impact — but in the hands of the right organization, it can achieve so much,” reads the One for the World website.
For students looking to get involved with the club, the chapter at the U of C hosts events throughout the year.
“[At the events they can] learn more about what effective giving is, what extreme poverty is. They learn about what each of these charities that we donate to do. The second thing they can do is volunteer with us. And the last way is by taking the one per cent pledge of your post-graduate income to the portfolio [of charities by GiveWell],” said Ahmad.
To learn more about the U of C’s One for the World chapter, visit their Instagram. To learn more about One for the World, visit their website.