Our Impact

fighting neglected tropical diseases

Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) are the most common afflictions of humankind and disproportionately affect the poorest and most marginalized communities. NTDs receive little attention even though they cause a great amount of human suffering. The most deadly of these diseases, schistosomiasis, affects almost 240 million people worldwide and kills more than 280,000 annually. Our October nonprofit, the Schistosomiasis Control Initiative (SCI), works to help those who suffer from or are at risk of becoming infected with schistosomiasis as well as soil-transmitted helminths (intestinal worms), two of the five most common NTDs in sub-Saharan Africa. They support countries in affected areas with drug donation programs, technical assistance and extra funding, and after treatment is given, conduct research, monitoring and evaluation of the outcomes of their programs.

SCI has demonstrated huge success with their programs consistently over many years and are very cost-effective. Their work has a huge impact on the health of children, and is saving millions of lives. In October, the Altruist community raised $123 for SCI. This donation will provide 247 treatments for schistosomiasis and intestinal worms. A single treatment has been shown to reduce the burden of infection and severity of symptoms. These 247 treatments will vastly improve the health of individuals and help them return to a normal life.

As our community of 156 members continues to grow, our impact will only become more profound. We will continue to bring you stories of how we are making real change in the world and the impact your dollar has on the nonprofits we support.

Learn more about the Altruist community and how you can make your dent $1 at a time at joinAltruist.com.