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Show HN - We just built a site that saves lives

watsi.org

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Re: Show HN - We just built a site that saves lives

#91

Post by ZoFreX »

chaseadam17 wrote: post #19
brittohalloran wrote: post #12

The one thing you need to focus on above all else is transparency and preventing scams. Video of the actual person who needs the treatment would go a long way, as would video updates along the way. I'm thinking an Android app that the locals could use to document the process. If you solve that properly, this will really take off and do a lot of good. Also, you're going to eventually need to take a very small cut of t…

Great points. Transparency is huge, and we have done everything possible to put as much info on our site as we can. We love the app idea, and building an app for the MP's to document the entire process (patient work up, waiver, profile info, provide updates, track recovery, etc.) as easily as possible is one of our next steps. We definitely need to make some money to keep this thing going. But right now we are still…

I have experience running a website that made running costs + more from donations, let me know if you want to have a chat about what worked and what didn't!

Re: Show HN - We just built a site that saves lives

#92

Post by pooriaazimi »

brittohalloran wrote: post #12

The one thing you need to focus on above all else is transparency and preventing scams. Video of the actual person who needs the treatment would go a long way, as would video updates along the way. I'm thinking an Android app that the locals could use to document the process. If you solve that properly, this will really take off and do a lot of good. Also, you're going to eventually need to take a very small cut of t…

That's exactly what I wanted to say. Please don't blow this. Your "service" could really make a difference for a lot of these people, and hopefully thousands more when you grow. But only if you keep it transparent and scam-free so people feel safe donating money (or "funding their treatment", as you put it).

Re: Show HN - We just built a site that saves lives

#93

Post by jc00ke »

bmajz wrote: post #67

I imagine a lot of people will be reading the FAQ page, so you might want to correct this typo: In order to be eligible for Watsi funding, patients must be inflicted with an illness that meets the treatment criteria and subsequently be unable to afford the required medical treatment as a result of poverty. You surely mean "afflicted" rather than "inflicted"

Good catch! Pushing the change now. Thank you!

Re: Show HN - We just built a site that saves lives

#94

Post by dahotre »

brittohalloran wrote: post #12

The one thing you need to focus on above all else is transparency and preventing scams. Video of the actual person who needs the treatment would go a long way, as would video updates along the way. I'm thinking an Android app that the locals could use to document the process. If you solve that properly, this will really take off and do a lot of good. Also, you're going to eventually need to take a very small cut of t…

Do you think people who need few hundred dollars to save their life have android phones?

Re: Show HN - We just built a site that saves lives

#95

Post by mattgreenrocks »

stephengillie wrote: post #27
chaseadam17 wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Great points. Transparency is huge, and we have done everything possible to put as much info on our site as we can. We love the app idea, and building an app for the MP's to document the entire process (patient work up, waiver, profile info, provide updates, track recovery, etc.) as easily as possible is one of our next steps. We definitely need to make some money to keep this thing going. But right now we are still…

Your operation could maintain 2 sets of cash flow: one for patient care, and one for administration. Maybe you could qualify for NGO status and get some government to fund some of the administration side. This would be somewhat similar to Costco's model, where most (all?) of employee wages come from membership card fees, not product revenue. With this model, you could still let people donate 100% of their funds to th…

If that fails, perhaps you could appeal to Heroku to waive hosting charges for this.

You never know!

Re: Show HN - We just built a site that saves lives

#96

Post by chaseadam17 »

dinkumthinkum wrote: post #90
brittohalloran wrote: post #12

The one thing you need to focus on above all else is transparency and preventing scams. Video of the actual person who needs the treatment would go a long way, as would video updates along the way. I'm thinking an Android app that the locals could use to document the process. If you solve that properly, this will really take off and do a lot of good. Also, you're going to eventually need to take a very small cut of t…

I don't think we need video of the process. If the people want to do it fine, but making them put on a show of themselves I think is a bit much. As a person, not only are you sick and need help from others but you need to be a documentary just to prove to people you aren't a scam, little much -- it's one thing to have a photo and story so it makes it real but as long as there is some trusted third party verification,…

I really like that you brought up third-party verification. We think that's the most efficient and responsible way to scale our due-diligence process. Currently, in addition to being verified by us, all of our partners have been verified by multiple third parties (Partners in Health, Givewell, CNN, ABC, HBO, etc.) and they are all 501(c)(3) organizations which means that they are also overseen by the US Gov.

I agree that learning from other charities is the best way to evolve. Kiva has a pretty awesome due diligence process that we would like to pick and choose elements from as we grow: http://www.kiva.org/about/risk/kiva-role

Re: Show HN - We just built a site that saves lives

#97

Post by dinkumthinkum »

pepve wrote: post #79

I'm a bit uncomfortable with this. Who picks the people that get our help? Is it better to pick a few and fix their lives, or should we aim to slightly improve the lives of many?

Well, I can sort of understand what you're saying. But, it's like letting the perfect be the enemy of the good, which actually is a common theme in many of the criticisms. There are people with real problems that need help now or they could perish; I don't see how providing ways to help them could ever be a bad thing. The other alternative is to fund nebulous water projects that might get off the ground in 1-5 years or something like that -- no that there's anything wrong with that but I don't think it is a mutually exclusive thing.

Re: Show HN - We just built a site that saves lives

#98

Post by youngdev »

Guys, truly a great service. I was thinking of start something similar or join an forces with existing service like yours. But I wanted to do it truly at non-profit level where we don't take a single penny out of donations.

how are you guys funding your operations? Are you taking a % of the donation?

Re: Show HN - We just built a site that saves lives

#100

Post by jcheng »

chaseadam17 wrote: post #70
mehulkar wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Devil's advocate to myself: I heard Jessica Jackley speak once and one of the stories she told that stuck was about the that company offered to automate thousands of dollars to Kiva to go towards microloans. She refused because she wanted people to have a personal connection with borrowers. I would love to say that if you took X% off my paycheck, I would sign up instantly. But I would just be escaping my responsibili…

Exactly. I think that's where the "Watsi Credit" idea comes in. You could allocate $X per month, then head over to Watsi and spend your credit whenever you like. The donation is automated, but you still get to choose who you support. Does that sound like something you would be interested in?

Yes please. And maybe credits that are not allocated within N days automatically get directed to a profile that Watsi chooses.
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