Aid Relief Values in Haiti After the Earthquake: Haitians Preferences for Food and Other Basic Commodities

Abstract

The earthquake that hit Haiti in the beginning of 2010 led to tremendous international solidarity in the recovery effort. Despite the tons of aid sent to Haiti, relatively little is known about the effectiveness of the aid or about the continuing needs of the Haitians. Using data collected from in-person surveys with over 1,000 Haitians, we sought to quantify some of the impacts of the earthquake while determining people's relative preferences for food and other basic needs in the aftermath of the Haiti's earthquake. The results indicate that almost two-thirds of Haitians lost a friend in the earthquake, and nearly half lost a family member. People report spending more on food in the aftermath of the earthquake. Among different types of aid, Haitians state being most in need of a job - something difficult for international aid agencies to supply over the long run. People who have higher income are less interested in receiving cash money aid. The results show that education is the most important attribute in the Haitians' life. Education is valued as three times more important compared to housing, the second most important attribute for the Haitians in terms of quality of life.