Airbnb announces free accommodation plan for 20,000 Afghan refugees
The facts and figures coming out of Afghanistan, since the Taliban takeover last week hiked the country under the world’s spotlight, make for bleak reading. Around 550,000 people have been internally displaced since January, according to the United Nations refugee agency, with the UK foreign secretary admitting on Wednesday week that it was uncertain how many would be left behind.
So it comes as a refreshing nugget of positive news that accommodation platform Airbnb has offered to temporarily house 20,000 Afghan refugees, in various parts of the world, at no cost: a response, according to its Chief Executive Brian Chesky, to “one of the biggest humanitarian crises of our time”.
The scheme will see hosts offer their accommodation for free or at a reduced price, with the remainder of bills paid by Airbnb’s charitable arm Airbnb.org - which was set up last year, funded with 400,000 shares of Airbnb stock and a US$6m donation from the company’s founders.
Praising the generosity of the host properties, Chesky said: “As tens of thousands of Afghan refugees resettle around the world, where they stay will be the first chapter in their new lives. For these 20,000 refugees, my hope is that the Airbnb community will provide them with not only a safe place to rest and start over, but also a warm welcome home… If you’re willing to host a refugee family, reach out and I’ll connect you with the right people here to make it happen.”
David Miliband, President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee, was among those praising the move. “We are grateful to our partners at Airbnb.org and Airbnb for once again offering their support and infrastructure to meet this moment, providing safe and welcoming places for individuals and families as they arrive in the United States and begin rebuilding their lives,” he said.
It's not the first time Airbnb - which has, in the past, faced controversies over its impact on rents and home prices, as well as gentrification of neighbourhoods - has stepped up to the plate: in 2012, its hosts offered space in their homes for free to those displaced by Hurricane Sandy.
It's not clear, at this stage, how long Afghan refugees will be accommodated by the scheme.