Aid Delivery Research Articles

The occurrence of and factors associated with mental ill-health amongst humanitarian aid workers: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Humanitarian crises and disasters affect millions of people worldwide. Humanitarian aid workers are civilians or professionals who respond to disasters and provide humanitarian assistance. In doing so, they face several stressors and traumatic exposures. Humanitarian aid workers also face unique challenges associated with working in unfamiliar settings. To determine the occurrence of and factors associated with mental ill-health among humanitarian aid workers. CINAHL plus, Cochrane library, Global Health, Medline, PubMed, Web of Science were searched from 2005-2020. Grey literature was searched on Google Scholar. PRISMA guidelines were followed and after double screening, studies reporting occurrence of mental ill-health were included. Individual narratives and case studies were excluded, as were studies that reported outcomes in non-humanitarian aid workers. Data on occurrence of mental ill-health and associated factors were independently extracted and combined in a narrative summary. A random effects logistic regression model was used for the meta-analysis. Nine studies were included with a total of 3619 participants, reporting on five types of mental ill-health (% occurrence) including psychological distress (6.5%-52.8%); burnout (8.5%-32%); anxiety (3.8%-38.5%); depression (10.4%-39.0%) and post-traumatic stress disorder (0% to 25%). Hazardous drinking of alcohol ranged from 16.2%-50.0%. Meta-analysis reporting OR (95% CI) among humanitarian aid workers, for psychological distress was 0.45 (0.12-1.64); burnout 0.34 (0.27-0.44); anxiety 0.22 (0.10-0.51); depression 0.32 (0.18-0.57) and PTSD 0.11 (0.03-0.39). Associated factors included young age, being female and pre-existing mental ill-health. Mental ill-health is common among humanitarian aid workers, has a negative impact on personal well-being, and on a larger scale reduces the efficacy of humanitarian organisations with delivery of aid and retention of staff. It is imperative that mental ill-health is screened for, detected and treated in humanitarian aid workers, before, during and after their placements. It is essential to implement psychologically protective measures for individuals working in stressful and traumatic crises.

THE IMPACT OF GENDER MAINSTREAMING ON HUMANITARIAN AID DELIVERY: A POLICY ANALYSIS

Gender mainstreaming in humanitarian aid delivery has become increasingly important in recent years as organizations seek to address the differential impact of crises on women, men, girls, and boys. This policy analysis examines the impact of gender mainstreaming on humanitarian aid delivery, focusing on its effectiveness in promoting gender equality and improving the overall outcomes of humanitarian interventions. The analysis explores the evolution of gender mainstreaming in humanitarian aid, highlighting key policy frameworks and guidelines that have shaped its implementation. It also examines the challenges and limitations associated with gender mainstreaming, including issues related to funding, capacity building, and coordination among humanitarian actors. Furthermore, the analysis assesses the impact of gender mainstreaming on the design, implementation, and monitoring of humanitarian programs. It examines how gender considerations have been integrated into needs assessments, program design, and evaluation processes, and how this has influenced the quality and effectiveness of humanitarian aid delivery. The analysis also considers the broader implications of gender mainstreaming on humanitarian action, including its potential to transform power dynamics, challenge gender stereotypes, and promote women's leadership in humanitarian decision-making processes. It highlights the importance of adopting a gender-sensitive approach that recognizes and addresses the specific needs and vulnerabilities of women, men, girls, and boys in humanitarian settings. Overall, this policy analysis underscores the critical importance of gender mainstreaming in humanitarian aid delivery and calls for greater commitment and investment in gender-responsive programming. It concludes with recommendations for strengthening gender mainstreaming efforts, including enhancing coordination among humanitarian actors, increasing funding for gender-sensitive programming, and promoting gender equality within humanitarian organizations. Keywords: Impact: Gender Mainstreaming, Humanitarian, Aid Delivery, Policy Analysis.

The Coloniality of Enforced Starvation: Reading Famine in Gaza through An Gorta Mór

Drawing on the Irish Famine, this essay argues that Israel’s enforced starvation of the Palestinian people in Gaza during the 2023–24 genocide is a deliberate act that advances the settler-colonial aspirations of the Zionist regime. In addition to preventing the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza, the author argues that manufacturing food insecurity is part of a long-standing Israeli policy in the besieged enclave, which includes targeting essential infrastructure and other elements of food production. The essay ends with a call on political representatives in both Ireland and the United States to reflect on their own legacy of colonially enforced starvation and to intervene to bring an end to the looming famine in Gaza.

Imperfect relief: Challenges to the impartiality and identity of humanitarian action

Abstract One of the four core humanitarian principles, impartiality's substantive ethical and deeply operational nature directs aid agencies to seek and deliver aid on the basis of non-discrimination and in proportion to the needs of crisis-affected people. Designed to operationalize the principle of humanity, impartiality is challenged by a plethora of external factors, such as the instrumentalization of aid, bureaucratic restriction, obstruction by States or non-State armed groups, and insecurity. Less visible and less examined are factors internal to aid agencies or the sector as a whole. Based on a desk review of the literature and the authors’ experience working with Médecins Sans Frontières, this article explores shortcomings in how the humanitarian sector understands and operationalizes impartiality, placing the focus on these internal factors. Beginning with the definition of impartiality, the article focuses on inadequacies in the practice of impartiality's twin pillars: non-discrimination and proportionality in the delivery of aid. Key conclusions include the necessity of an active rather than passive approach to non-discrimination, and the need for greater commitment to proportionality. In extending this analysis, the article looks more deeply at how aid organizations approach the humanitarian principles, identifying shortcomings in the way that the sector operationalizes, engages with and evaluates those principles. Given the sector's limited inclusion of or accountability towards people in crisis, its exercise of impartiality seems particularly problematic in relation to its power to decide the who and what of aid delivery, and to define the needs which it will consider humanitarian. The objective of this article is to reset humanitarians’ conceptual and operational understanding of impartiality in order to better reflect and protect humanity in humanitarian praxis, and to help humanitarians navigate the emergent challenges and critical discussions on humanitarian action's position in respect to climate change, triple-nexus programming, or simply a future where staggering levels of urgent needs vastly outstrip humanitarian resources.

Exploring the preference for bilateral aid: Gulf oil states’ aid to Yemen

This article delves into the significant role played by the five Arab Gulf oil states in global development and humanitarian aid efforts. It also acknowledges the criticism they face for their preference for bilateral and earmarked aid, with allegations of political motivations. Focusing on Yemen as a case study, the research explores the motivations and effectiveness of Gulf states’ aid preferences. Using a qualitative approach from 30 semi-structured in-depth interviews and a comprehensive literature review, the study takes three distinct research directions, examining how Gulf donor countries strategically employ bilateral aid in conflict running, how they use bilateral aid to forge and strengthen geopolitical alliances within the region, and the complexities associated with multilateral aid channels in Yemen. In providing insights into the motivations and strategies of Gulf countries in their aid policies, this research contributes to discussions on aid delivery and maximising impact in conflict-affected areas.

Blockchain for social good: A review of applications in humanitarian aid and social initiatives

Blockchain technology has emerged as a revolutionary force with the potential to address pressing social challenges and transform traditional paradigms in humanitarian aid and social initiatives. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the diverse applications of blockchain in fostering social good, particularly in the realms of humanitarian aid and social initiatives. The decentralized and transparent nature of blockchain offers a paradigm shift in the way charitable organizations operate and deliver aid. Smart contracts on blockchain enable transparent and tamper-resistant transactions, ensuring that resources are allocated efficiently and reach intended beneficiaries. The elimination of intermediaries reduces the risk of corruption and ensures a more direct and accountable flow of funds. In the context of humanitarian aid, blockchain facilitates the creation of decentralized identity systems, ensuring secure and verifiable identities for displaced populations. This aids in the efficient delivery of aid, as well as financial inclusion for those without access to traditional banking services. Moreover, blockchain enhances supply chain transparency, enabling the tracking of donations from inception to distribution, reducing fraud and ensuring the authenticity of goods. Social initiatives, too, benefit from blockchain's transformative capabilities. Decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) enable communities to collectively make decisions and manage resources. This fosters a sense of ownership and empowerment among participants, promoting sustainable social development. Additionally, blockchain-based token economies incentivize positive behaviors, encouraging individuals to contribute to social causes in meaningful ways. Despite these promising applications, challenges such as scalability, regulatory uncertainties, and technological literacy remain. This paper calls for continued research and collaboration to unlock the full potential of blockchain for social good, emphasizing the need for innovative solutions that can address the unique challenges faced by humanitarian and social initiatives.

Strengthening laboratories in response to outbreaks in humanitarian emergencies and conflict settings: Results, challenges and lessons from expanding PCR diagnostic capacities for COVID-19 testing in Yemen.

When the COVID-19 pandemic was declared, Yemen, a country facing years of conflict had only one laboratory with PCR testing capacity. In this article, we describe the outcome of the implementation of molecular based diagnostics platform in Yemen and highlight the key milestones the country went through to increase access to testing for its populations residing in a geographically vast and politically divided country. A retrospective assessment of COVID-19 laboratory response activities was done detailing the needs assessment process, timelines, geographical coverage, and outcomes of the activities. Laboratory data was analyzed to construct the geographical locations of COVID-19 testing laboratories and the numbers of tests performed in each facility to highlight the demands of testing for travelers. Finally, we discuss the impact these activities had in enabling the movement of people across international borders for economic gains and in delivery of critical humanitarian aid. PCR testing capacities in Yemen significantly improved, from one laboratory in Sanaa in April 2020 to 18 facilities across the country by June 2022. In addition, the number of functional Real-Time PCR thermocyclers increased from one to 32, the PCR tests output per day improved from 192 to 6144 tests per day. Results from analysis of laboratory data showed there were four peaks of COVID-19 in Yemen as October 2022. The majority of laboratory tests were performed for travelers than for medical or public health reasons. Demand for laboratory testing in Yemen was generally low and waned over time as the perceived risk of COVID-19 declined, in parallel with rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines. The successful expansion of laboratory testing capacity was instrumental in the control and management of COVID-19 cases and critical in the implementation of public response strategies, including restrictions on gathering. Laboratory testing also facilitated the movement of humanitarian agencies and delivery of aid and enabled hundreds of thousands of Yemeni nationals to travel internationally. By virtue of these outcomes, the impact of laboratory strengthening activities was thus felt in the health sector and beyond.

A heterogeneous robots collaboration for safety, security, and rescue robotics: e-ASIA joint research program for disaster risk and reduction management

In the face of humanitarian crises such as torrential rainfall, resulting floods, and landslides, rapid rescue operations are often imperative. However, owing to the inherent dangers and unpredictability of such circumstances, immediate on-site aid delivery is frequently unfeasible. In such challenging scenarios, mobile robot systems have emerged as the optimal solution for aiding search and rescue efforts. The 'Informational system for management of flood and landslide disaster areas using a distributed heterogeneous robotic team' project, initiated by the International e-ASIA Joint Research Program, united research teams from Japan, Russia, and Thailand, each contributing unique expertize and experience towards common objectives. Drawing upon our extensive theoretical and practical knowledge in disaster response research, we developed an integrated international operational framework for disaster site management, centered on dispersed, heterogeneous semi-autonomous Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), Semi-Autonomous Rough Terrain Vehicles (UGVs), and Semi-Autonomous Surface Vehicles (USVs). This paper provides an overview of the methodologies, models, and algorithms employed throughout the successful three-year project conducted by the Thailand team while also directing interested readers to supplementary research papers for in-depth insights.

Evaluating Geospatial Data Adequacy for Integrated Risk Assessments: A Malaria Risk Use Case

International policy and humanitarian guidance emphasize the need for precise, subnational malaria risk assessments with cross-regional comparability. Spatially explicit indicator-based assessments can support humanitarian aid organizations in identifying and localizing vulnerable populations for scaling resources and prioritizing aid delivery. However, the reliability of these assessments is often uncertain due to data quality issues. This article introduces a data evaluation framework to assist risk modelers in evaluating data adequacy. We operationalize the concept of “data adequacy” by considering “quality by design” (suitability) and “quality of conformance” (reliability). Based on a use case we developed in collaboration with Médecins Sans Frontières, we assessed data sources popular in spatial malaria risk assessments and related domains, including data from the Malaria Atlas Project, a healthcare facility database, WorldPop population counts, Climate Hazards group Infrared Precipitation with Stations (CHIRPS) precipitation estimates, European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) precipitation forecast, and Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED) conflict events data. Our findings indicate that data availability is generally not a bottleneck, and data producers effectively communicate contextual information pertaining to sources, methodology, limitations and uncertainties. However, determining such data’s adequacy definitively for supporting humanitarian intervention planning remains challenging due to potential inaccuracies, incompleteness or outdatedness that are difficult to quantify. Nevertheless, the data hold value for awareness raising, advocacy and recognizing trends and patterns valuable for humanitarian contexts. We contribute a domain-agnostic, systematic approach to geodata adequacy evaluation, with the aim of enhancing geospatial risk assessments, facilitating evidence-based decisions.

Quick-Response Model for Pre- and Post-Disaster Evacuation and Aid Distribution: The Case of the Tula River Flood Event

Background: In the context of humanitarian logistics, efficiently evacuating people from disaster-stricken areas is a complex challenge. This study focuses on the Tula River region in Hidalgo, Mexico, exploring the evacuation and support of individuals in temporary shelters. Despite the fact that the topic has been addressed in the literature, it is necessary to have quick response methods that can be used by decision-makers to adapt and utilize existing spaces as temporary shelters, in addition to knowing how to evacuate people. Methods: Addressing this void, a methodology to minimize evacuation and aid distribution costs is introduced. Leveraging existing algorithms, particularly Integer Linear Programming, the model determines shelter activation and utilizes the Vehicle Routing Problem to assess aid delivery strategies. Results: The research identifies optimal evacuation routes from 13 affected areas to 34 shelters and analyzes aid distribution costs under various demand scenarios: original, increased, and decreased by 10%, based on the number of transport units allocated and Google Maps distances. It also evaluates the costs associated with humanitarian aid distribution under varying collection strategies, involving state and municipal governments. Conclusion: This approach provides a decision-making foundation and can be adapted for similar analyses in other communities during extreme events.

Pre-disaster and response activities in disaster management: Insights from an experts’ survey and document analysis

Emergencies, disasters, and catastrophes require urgent attention from communities and governments to both prevent and mitigate their impacts. Disaster management is a field of academic research and practical application that encompasses a comprehensive range of activities divided into three main phases: pre-disaster (preparedness and mitigation), response, and recovery. The pre-disaster phase includes efforts such as risk assessments as well as emergency planning and preparedness, while the response phase includes activities such as aid delivery. In this paper, the authors analyze how pre-disaster and response activities impact societies differently when facing various kinds of catastrophes. Specifically, scientific articles and official disaster management reports were reviewed to develop a document analysis that focuses on the pre-disaster and response operations performed in four different types of catastrophes: nuclear power plant accidents, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, and landslides with distinct features around the world. Next, the study presents an experts’ survey and compares the findings with the document analysis. The results show that adequate and sufficient efforts in pre-disaster activities have a more significant impact on preserving lives and reducing the economic impact of catastrophes than response activities. Nevertheless, both pre-disaster and response activities are essential in confronting catastrophes and should be carried out. Operations managers working in humanitarian logistics should direct efforts and resources toward developing effective pre-disaster strategies in areas vulnerable to these risks.

Legal Aid and Access to Justice for Inmates in Nigeria: Challenges and Solutions

One of the foundational elements of human rights is access to justice, and it is a significant impediment facing inmates in Nigeria. This paper critically accesses the availability of Legal aid services to inmates, focusing on the roles played by legal practitioners, NGOS, and pro-bono initiatives in bridging the gap in accessing justice. Several systemically imposed barriers, underfunding, institutional limitations, and general unawareness of the need and availability for such legal intervention have continued to deny many inmates their much-needed access. The paper discusses a general overview of the status of legal assistance in Nigeria from its evolution to what currently constitutes the services being given to inmates. That identifies, among others, institutional barriers, economic constraints, and lack of public awareness about the availability of legal aid. This paper provides the best practices through case studies of successful legal aid intervention applied and strategies effectively adopted in the interest of enhancing access to justice. These findings form a basis on which the study makes recommendations for improving the delivery of legal aid, targeting improvement in the institutional frameworks, increasing public awareness, leveraging technology, and promoting cases of collaboration among the stakeholders. This would be important in ensuring that inmates in Nigeria have equal opportunities to access justice and measurable fairness and transparency in the application of the law.

Mitigating Risk in UAV Aid Delivery Missions: A Safe Path Prioritization Approach

Mitigating Risk in UAV Aid Delivery Missions: A Safe Path Prioritization Approach

Last Mile Humanitarian Aid Delivery Model with Electric Vehicles to Disaster Areas

Natural disasters that cause a lot of loss of life and property in Türkiye occur frequently due to reasons such as our country's geographical location, climatic conditions and landforms. For this reason, it is necessary to be extremely prepared for the consequences of disasters. It is also very important to quickly deliver the necessary materials and equipment to people affected by these disasters. For this reason, electric vehicles were included in the mathematical model proposed in the study due to the fuel problems that will be experienced during the disaster process. In this study, a 0-1 mixed integer last mile humanitarian aid distribution model that will be delivered to hospitals from the designated warehouse after a possible disaster is proposed. The proposed model determines routes that will minimize the total distance of electric vehicles, taking into account their charging and energy consumption. Considering the power outages after the earthquake, solar powered electric vehicle charging stations were preferred. The proposed model was applied for the post-earthquake aid distribution example in Kayseri province. Distance data and consumed energy amounts for the Kayseri province example were entered into the model and solved in the CPLEX program. With this study, an example application was carried out for aid distribution activities with electric vehicles after an earthquake in Kayseri. Additionally, the effectiveness of the use of energy-efficient electric vehicles in disaster management was evaluated in the article.

Continuity and change in Saudi Arabia’s development and humanitarian aid

This paper delves into the motivations and drivers behind Saudi Arabia’s foreign aid, shedding light on the interplay between geopolitics, religious affinity, and strategic objectives. Drawing on newly released empirical data from the Saudi Aid Platform (SAP) dataset, encompassing 47 years of aid delivery, the study seeks to answer the long-standing debate surrounding the factors shaping Saudi Arabia’s foreign aid decisions. The study focuses on two pivotal periods: the Bosnian War and the post-Arab Spring era. By examining Saudi aid allocations during these periods, we investigate the influence of foreign policy and geostrategic objectives versus the humanitarian needs of the recipients. Religious ideology, geopolitical interests, and strategic objectives drive Saudi Arabian aid. The study reveals that Saudi Arabia adopts a value-neutral strategic approach. The research contextualises these findings within geopolitical events, regional dynamics, and internal governance changes, providing insights into the factors influencing Saudi Arabia’s aid allocation decisions. By examining Saudi Arabian aid’s historical patterns and drivers, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of one of the world’s largest foreign aid providers. Additionally, it offers valuable insights for shaping effective aid strategies and policies in the future.

Perspectives of Local Communities on the Impact of Chinese Aid: A Case Study of China's Aid Projects in the Education Sector in Guinea

China's re-emergence as an aid donor has attracted the attention and criticism from Western donors, academia, and the media. In contrast to traditional donors, China's aid has been portrayed as anti-poverty aid, mainly due to its combination with other instruments, such as investment, and the absence of any political or economic conditions. This paper examines the impact of Chinese aid projects in Guinea's education sector from the perspective of the beneficiaries. The author collected data from both primary (interviews) and secondary (document analysis) sources. The present study concludes that China's aid projects in the education sector have received both positive and negative feedback, mainly because the recipients' needs have not been appropriately targeted. This study contributes to the literature on China's role in Africa. More specifically, it discusses the conditions for aid effectiveness in the field of education. Moreover, in the context of the globalization of aid practices, the study proposes best practices for China to adopt in order to improve the practices of its aid delivery. The novelty of this study lies in the methodology (qualitative method) used to understand China's aid from the perspective of the beneficiaries of its aid.

Complicated grief and posttraumatic stress after loss and separation under terror conditions.

The lives of people in conflict areas are often characterized by the experience of traumatic events frequently accompanied by loss and separation. These can equally trigger symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complicated grief (CG). The aim of the present study was to investigate whether affected individuals could be assigned to distinct classes at symptom-cluster levels of these two disorders. Moreover, we aimed to identify event-related and sociodemographic predictors associated with membership in these pathological classes. Participants were Iraqi internally displaced persons (IDPs; N = 199) who fled their hometowns due to the ISIS conflict and reported having lost an important person within the past 5 years. Based on the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) and Inventory of Complicated Grief (ICG), a latent class analysis (LCA) was applied to examine different classes of symptom clusters. Multinomial logistic regression was used to determine which variables predicted assignment to these symptom classes. The impact of loss and separation among IDPs in Iraq manifested in CG symptoms in more than half of the affected population and was often accompanied by PTSD. LCA identified a low-symptoms class (17.6%), CG class (33.7%), PTSD class (12.1%), and comorbid PTSD+CG class (36.7%). The sudden or violent death of a loved one was identified as a distinguishing factor for PTSD. Furthermore, separation was associated with comorbidity. Aid agencies should take these specific factors into account to improve effective and economic aid delivery to IDPs continuously affected by terror.

Going local without localization: Power and humanitarian response in the Syrian war

International aid organizations and donors have committed to localize aid by empowering local actors to deliver and lead in humanitarian response. While international actors do often rely on local actors for aid delivery, their progress on shifting authority falls short. Scholars suggest that while localizing aid may be desirable, the organizational imperatives of international actors and aid’s colonial past and present make it difficult at best. Can localization efforts produce locally led humanitarian response? Adopting a power framework, we argue that localization reinforces and reproduces international power; through institutional processes, localization efforts by international actors allocate capacity to, and constitute local actors as, humanitarians that are more or less capable, funded, and involved in responding to crises in the latter’s own countries. This article interprets aid efforts during the Syria War. In this crucial case, we might expect localization to be “easy” due to the dependence of international actors on local actors because of security concerns and constraints on international access. We draw on fine-grained qualitative data collected through immersive observation and 250 interviews with Syrian and international aid workers in Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey, as well as descriptive analysis of quantitative data. We reveal the ways Syrians were constituted as frontline responders, recipients of funds or trainings, risk-takers, gateways to access, and tokenistic representatives of the crisis. Our research shows that while the response seemed to “go local” by relying on the labor and risk-taking of Syrians to implement relief, it did not transfer authority to Syrian actors. Findings contribute to current debates in global development and humanitarian scholarship about who holds power within the global aid architecture.

Designing the Distribution Network of Essential Items in the Critical Conditions of Earthquakes and COVID-19 Simultaneously

Current societies must make the necessary plans for effective responses and to reduce the destructive effects of disasters. For this reason, this research has developed a mathematical programming model under uncertainty for earthquake relief and response during COVID-19. In the presented model, the possibility of facility failure is considered according to the intensity of the earthquake and COVID-19 to increase reliability. The simultaneous occurrence of these disasters presents unique challenges in ensuring the timely delivery of essential supplies to affected regions. Distribution centers (DCs) are considered to be of two types: the first type is local DCs, which use public centers and are close to accident points. These types of centers are prone to failure because they use public facilities. Another type is the reliable DCs built outside the disrupted area, which have a very low probability of loss due to spending more money to build them. In addition, to consider the reliability capabilities, the new model has tried to provide a complete model for transportation planning by considering the multi-trip mode of vehicles. Moreover, this model considers distance restriction at the demand point for the first time because of COVID-19 during the earthquake. The proposed network design aims to offer effective solutions in promptly delivering essential items to affected areas, thereby enhancing disaster management strategies and minimizing the impact of these crises on vulnerable populations. Uncertainty is presented using the probability approach based on the modeling scenario and a case study from the city of Istanbul to illustrate the performance of the suggested model. Finally, the suggested mode is solved with an Lp-metric and goal programming (GP) approach. The results show that in this case, the proposed model shows that effective and efficient aid delivery is possible in terms of time and cost. Therefore, it can help crisis managers respond by providing the required budget and appropriate logistics planning.

How access to federal recovery credit assistance influences future wealth trajectories after a natural disaster: The case of Hurricane Harvey

Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas in August 2017. The Small Business Administration (SBA) provided direct-to-household loan aid for over $2.9 billion to assist recovery, twice as large as the Federal Emergency Management Agency's direct-to-household grant program to individuals impacted by the storm. The author examined the role of federal disaster home loan availability and wealth creation through changes in home values after Hurricane Harvey. The study linked SBA data to seasonally adjusted private market housing data. The author used a fixed-effect difference-in-difference regression with propensity score matching study design to estimate the effect of federal credit recovery assistance on log median home values over time. Communities receiving federal credit assistance saw a statistically significant 6.4 % faster increase in home values than communities receiving no federal credit assistance post-Harvey. In addition, communities with shorter (two weeks or less) wait times to receive SBA loans saw a 2 % faster rise in home value prices post-Harvey than communities with longer median wait times. While disaster damage influenced the receipt of assistance, pre-disaster wealth influenced the speed of the assistance received. Understanding at what points barriers to access arise within the delivery of aid, and the wealth outcomes of such inequities, point to clear ways policy changes may promote equitable recovery for all.