United StatesPublic sector2023 – ongoingCatholic Relief Services
AI analysis of attendance at humanitarian distributions
Catholic Relief Services used AI attendance analysis to identify gaps in aid distribution
Problem
People who needed humanitarian aid were not always available to enroll or attend distributions. Catholic Relief Services needed to identify which groups its programs were missing.
Approach
The organization used AI models to analyze attendance alongside recipients' demographic characteristics and location. Applications included food distributions in Madagascar and malaria bed-net distributions in Benin. Findings about groups less likely to collect bed nets were shared with Benin's government for future targeting.
Results
No published figures
Takeaway
Attendance analysis identified differences between households that aggregate distribution totals could conceal. The organization did not disclose a measured increase in aid coverage.
Categories
- Industry
- Public sector
- Business function
- Production and quality
- Innovation type
- Process innovation
- AI technology
- Predictive analytics and ML
- Adoption
- Built in-house
- Goal
- Quality and risk
- Evidence
- Company's own claim
Sources
Source summaries
A staff-submitted Analytics 50 award account described AI use in humanitarian programs. It explained how attendance patterns informed bed-net targeting in Benin, without quantifying improved coverage.
Full details are in the original sources.