Until In India Mental Health Is Health For All
Effecting Our Altruism
India has a lot of call centers. Who are they calling? Mostly clients in other countries. But what if the efficiency, professionalism, and empathy practiced in those centers were onshored to those closest to the Indian people, perhaps those at most at risk for depression…instead of impatient customers on the other side of the planet? Kaya Guides is a digital mental health startup and one of Ambitious Impact’s newest high-impact charity ventures. In our chat, Rachel lays out how a service like Kaya Guides can provide a new chapter in mental health for *hundreds of millions*. Rachel’s team...
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Because Ugandans deserve great education
Effecting Our Altruism
How can education transform lives in underserved regions like Eastern Uganda? Education is a fundamental right, yet millions are denied access to quality learning. Learning Alliance recognizes that just throwing textbooks at children doesn’t make learning happen. In addition to high-quality, localized materials, Learning Alliance is adding teacher training and ongoing coaching to ensure long-term impact. Robust evidence coming out of RCTs in Kenya has inspired this model, which launched in Eastern Uganda in 2025. When I interviewed Learning Alliance Co-founder Ilana Kessler for my...
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This tiny organization lets Canadian donors maximize their impact
Effecting Our Altruism
This is what EAs talk about at afterparties. Or rather, afterparties of afterparties. Tax deductibility is not the sexiest topic I could find an interviewee for, but if you want to take a stand for your favourite effective charities, why would you be a sucker and miss the tax deduction?? SK is one of those soft-spoken and impossibly practical people you may never get the chance to meet. I learn a lot. Most importantly, how to hack the buffet line when it’s-all-you-can-eat. The key message I want people to come away with after listening to this episode is the importance of due diligence,...
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Towards a Culture of Effective Giving
Effecting Our Altruism
I loved hearing how James’s experience in the aid sector has influenced his views on effectiveness and optimization. Having worked with refugees, aid organizations, and advocates for children, James brings valuable field experience into his advocacy work. After seeing how major aid organizations operate, now, for him, “Okay is not good enough.” This is the 2nd in a set of 3 episodes focused on effective giving, and the 1st of two recorded at the EA Canada Retreat at the Center for Social Innovation in Toronto. For the third, check out my talk with SK OwYong from RC Forward in Episode 06....
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If You're going to donate, Do It Effectively!
Effecting Our Altruism
If you donate some of your money to charity, you’re doing something good, right? Odds are, you could be doing better. Welcome to the conversation about effective giving. Aman is a financial advisor who has been doing more good for humanity through donating money than most people typically accomplish in their whole lives. That’s because he, along with others in the effective giving community, hold their donation dollars to the highest standard they can find. Aman is a Canada-based financial advisor. I know him as a specialist in effective giving. Aman began his career in financial services...
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Standing Together Against Food Waste
Effecting Our Altruism
I was pretty inspired to hear Allison’s story of walking her beliefs for so many years, and what she’s learned. Everyone you have ever met touches the food system, in which Allison’s centered her advocacy efforts. Protecting human health, preventing climate change, preserving habitats, effecting farmed animal welfare, and improving the economy. While Alison’s work has focused on the Canadian system, I suspect that similar changes can apply to many places. Allison Penner is the Executive Director of Reimagine Agriculture (ReAg), which is helping to create a sustainable, resilient, and...
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How are Canadians confronting the dangers posed by AI?
Effecting Our Altruism
We had the pleasure of speaking with Mario Gibney, who decided years ago that he couldn’t just wait for someone else to take action on AI safety. In 2022, Mario co-founded AI Governance and Safety (AIGS) Canada to push the national conversation forward. Through movement and policy advocacy, AIGS is helping Canada become a leader in AI governance and safety. I recommend reading their concise white papers to get a summary of the issues. We learn how Mario got into this line of work, what Canadians think about the state of AI Safety these days, and things to get excited about in the Toronto...
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What if every dollar you spent went to charity, not some random shareholders?
Effecting Our Altruism
Philanthropy operates on a slower gear than the private sector. It is constrained by systems and culture that block its potential to effect massive positive social uplift. It doesn't have to be this way. The Profit For Good Initiative advocates for charities to drive profit-seeking businesses. If the 'for purpose' sector were in charge--and if effective charities in particular held majority positions--the trillions of dollars in the consumer economy could go towards visions for a better world. My conversation with Brad came at an exciting time. The Commissions for a Cause project will soon put...
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Trailer, The Effecting Our Altruism Podcast
Effecting Our Altruism
The Effecting Our Altruism Podcast is a portal into the lived experience of people committed to doing their best to serve others. Whether inspired by effective altruism or not, our guests confront immense problems with an effectiveness mindset. The core question of effective altruism isn't owned by anyone. It's an ongoing conversation that may last lifetimes. And the answers do not lie with one person; I believe they will come from collective experiences. My hope is that listeners from all backgrounds can feel like they are a part of the solution. Please rate and subscribe wherever...
info_outlineHow can education transform lives in underserved regions like Eastern Uganda?
Education is a fundamental right, yet millions are denied access to quality learning. Learning Alliance recognizes that just throwing textbooks at children doesn’t make learning happen. In addition to high-quality, localized materials, Learning Alliance is adding teacher training and ongoing coaching to ensure long-term impact. Robust evidence coming out of RCTs in Kenya has inspired this model, which launched in Eastern Uganda in 2025.
When I interviewed Learning Alliance Co-founder Ilana Kessler for my podcast, I learned how the project synthesizes her teaching background with extensive experience in scaling development work in East Africa. She isn’t just someone flying into the region blind, she has worked in Kenya, Ghana, and Tanzania and thinks deeply about what her work means to East African people. Her scientific mindset, evidenced by the way she speaks about research and data, makes me bullish about how well the evidence elsewhere in East Africa might transfer to the Learning Alliance. I’m thrilled to see work that both honours the dignity of Ugandan people and stands to help millions. If Learning Alliance even partially realizes the promise that structured pedagogy holds, this could enable a better way of life for society in that region.
Support Learning Alliance to help scale impactful solutions in Uganda.
Learning Alliance
https://www.learningalliance.net/
Best ways to Reach Elliot
Linkedin or the EA Anywhere Slack
Watch the full video episode on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@-effectingouraltruism
Evidence Review
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PfET3a2QvJvLydB2t43dpf_r9hE7Bdhm/edit#heading=h.kxl0nqdr8gbi
#LearningAlliance #EducationInEastAfrica #EffectiveAltruism #TeacherTraining #ImpactInvestment #Podcast #CharityEntrepreneurship