Malaria Consortium (Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention)

What Malaria Consortium does

Malaria Consortium is a UK-based nonprofit, started in 2003 at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, that fights malaria and other childhood diseases in Africa and Asia. This profile covers its seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) program. In areas where malaria surges during the rainy season, especially the Sahel, trained community distributors go door to door giving young children preventive antimalarial medicine.

A distributor gives the first dose under supervision and leaves the remaining doses for caregivers to give at home, and the cycle is repeated through the high-transmission months. GiveWell puts the delivery cost at about $1.50 per child per cycle and estimates $2,000–$7,000 per death averted, depending on location. Malaria Consortium reports reaching 22.5 million children with SMC in 2024. Post-round surveys cited by GiveWell show 78%–92% of targeted children reached in the countries measured.

GiveWell has recommended the SMC program as a top charity since 2016. Gifts made directly to Malaria Consortium are used across its programs at its discretion. Donors who want their money earmarked for SMC can give through GiveWell and choose Malaria Consortium, and GiveWell says it grants 100% of designated gifts, minus payment fees. US donors can also give tax-deductibly through the affiliate Malaria Consortium US.

Key facts

• Reached 22.5 million children with seasonal malaria chemoprevention in 2024 (Malaria Consortium donate page)
• GiveWell estimates about $1.50 per child per SMC cycle and $2,000–$7,000 per death averted, depending on location
• Post-round surveys cited by GiveWell found 92% coverage of targeted children in Burkina Faso, 87% in Togo, 85% in Chad and 78% in Nigeria
• Malaria Consortium US has awarded 56 grants totalling $36.6M since 2019 (MC-US page)

Before you give

• To fund SMC specifically: give via GiveWell (secure.givewell.org) and designate Malaria Consortium; GiveWell says 100% of designated gifts are granted, after card fees, subject to its grant approval process.
• Malaria Consortium US accepts checks (payable to Malaria Consortium US, PO Box 6334, Hermitage PA 16148-0923), ACH, crypto, stock, DAF grants and IRA QCDs; see https://www.malariaconsortium.org/mc-us/how-to-donate-to-mc-us
• The Charity Navigator three-star rating applies to the US affiliate; GiveWell's Top Charity recommendation applies specifically to the SMC program.