3.3 Number of distribution points
Determine the number of distribution points, considering the following:
- Advantages of few distribution points:
- fewer staff are needed to manage, control and monitor sites
- less infrastructure (fewer distribution centres) are needed
- less transportation of goods and commodities required
- harder for people to present themselves at, and benefit from, several different sites
- Advantages of many distribution points:
- shorter travel time for recipients
- easier access for women
- fewer crowd-control problems
- beneficiaries (CARE is trying to avoid the word “beneficiaries”, I would suggest we change this throughout this document using either program participants, recipients or people we serve) can see distribution taking place-easier self-policing
- special arrangements can be made for weaker groups
- many recipients can be served at each site at the established distribution frequency (e.g. weekly, fortnightly, monthly).
Keep in mind the following minimum standards:
- Recipients do not have to travel more than 5 to 10 km (for dispersed populations) to reach the distribution point.
- For refugee populations, there is at least one distribution point per 20,000 recipients.
- Recipient households are allocated to only one distribution point.
- Safety and security of recipients and staff.
