Hurricane Dorian struck The Bahamas in September 2019, devastating the islands of Abaco and Grand Bahama.
An outpouring of support from individuals and organisations from across the Caribbean and from the United States, resulted in large amounts of donated goods being sent to the islands.
While there were donated goods that brought much needed help to disaster-affected persons and communities, a significant proportion of donated goods were unrequested, resulting in goods arriving that were inappropriate and not required, in some cases clogging up ports, and delaying incoming official and urgent aid.
Examples of unrequested goods to The Bahamas, included poor quality and used clothing, soiled mattresses, expired food items - in some cases, rotting food was covered in insects and environmental teams had to be brought in to fumigate and advise on disposal. Unrequested and expired goods often end up in a landfill, a cost to both the environment and the organisation having to dispose of them.
As well as providing findings, the Report recommends the development of a policy to mitigate unrequested donations of goods after a disaster.