Livelihoods and the Allocation of Emergency Assistance after the Haiti Earthquake

This paper examines the allocation of emergency assistance programs in Haiti following the devastating 2010 earthquake. Utilizing a unique post-earthquake survey designed for rapid assessment of food insecurity, the study models the impact of various factors on assistance allocation. The findings reveal that household location emerged as the primary determinant, explaining why efficient allocation of emergency assistance remained a challenge five months after the quake. Furthermore, the study highlights disparities in assistance, with female-headed households and those with disabled members benefiting less, contradicting optimal targeting principles. The research also explores the role of associations in influencing assistance allocation and finds that pre-earthquake wealth, rather than asset losses, had a more significant impact on food consumption scores, suggesting the importance of pre-existing coping strategies.