Case Study: IOM achieves faster disaster relief and better shelter resource allocation with SAS Visual Analytics

Disaster relief efforts show promise of analytics and seemingly unrelated data sources

IOM, the International Organization for Migration, needed help responding to the Nepal earthquake by better allocating shelter and relief resources for thousands of displaced families. With monsoon season approaching, IOM also had to quickly figure out how to procure roofing materials for temporary shelters, while dealing with high-risk conditions and rapidly changing needs.

SAS used SAS Visual Analytics and SAS Visual Analytics for UN Comtrade to analyze shelter data and global trade data for IOM. The insights helped identify vulnerable populations, priority shelter sites, and the best sourcing options for CGI roofing sheets, including local and regional suppliers. As a result, IOM secured materials faster and could “literally, put roofs over peoples’ heads,” improving response speed for 63,000 displaced families.

IOM

Brian Kelly

Regional Emergency and Post-Crisis Advisor