Recovering from the Java Earthquake: Perceptions of the Affected

The absence of feedback from those who receive assistance constitutes a significant gap in knowledge about the effectiveness of humanitarian assistance. To address this gap, the Fritz Institute conducted surveys of thousands of aid beneficiaries affected by the South Asia tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, the Pakistan earthquake, and the earthquake in Java. The intent of the surveys is to understand the outcomes of the aid efforts from the perspective of those most affected. It is hoped that such systematic and successive studies will provide insight into common challenges encountered with the type of aid distributed and the process of aid distribution. Over time, such information may be incorporated into the assistance strategies of host governments, donors, and international and local non-governmental organisations.