Saving lives with fewer dollars

This Planet Money episode investigates the impact of USAID budget cuts on global aid programs, focusing on a Cameroon healthcare project facing funding loss. The narrative follows Givewell, a philanthropic organization, as it evaluates whether to allocate funds to this project. The episode highlights the challenges of applying data-driven decision-making in complex humanitarian contexts, contrasting Givewell's analytical approach with the on-the-ground realities faced by aid workers. Ultimately, Givewell approves a grant to fill the funding gap for one year, but the story underscores the broader crisis of shrinking international aid and the difficulties in quantifying the impact of humanitarian interventions.