Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky on Tuesday revealed the company’s new nonprofit initiative that the company wants to provide free housing for 20,000 Afghan refugees. NBC News.
The United States said on Monday that nearly 48,000 people have been evacuated from Afghanistan in recent days, while thousands still fear armed reprisals from the Taliban, which is currently in power.
Kabul Airport is the main exit where huge crowds gather every day in the unbearable heat. With the Taliban setting an August 31 deadline for air travel, many fear they won’t be able to board the planes in time.
Few details have been revealed
Chesky said the refugees will be housed in properties listed on the Airbnb platform, and the cost of their stay will be funded by the site. on Twitter. However, it is still not known how long the accommodation will be provided, and the amount spent on the program has not been disclosed.
Experts say the United States has taken in refugees slower this year in part because the previous Trump administration scrapped a resettlement program. The Pentagon says the US could take in 22,000 Afghan refugees, though it adds that that number could “expand” independent.
The deportation of Afghan refugees to the United States and other countries is the greatest humanitarian crisis of our time
Chesky said. The company hopes the move will encourage companies and other leaders to help Afghan refugees in distress.
It’s not the first time they’ve helped
Companies in various areas of business and activities often make decisions in times of major crisis that allow them to express their support for the victims. The current situation is also a great opportunity to come up with really useful ideas while building the image of the organization.
By the way, the online accommodation platform often makes offers to cover accommodation costs in case of emergency, claiming that since 2012, 75,000 people have found temporary accommodation on site in times of crisis. Previously, similar programs have been initiated for people who have been displaced by hurricanes, wildfires, and armed mass incidents, and more recently, they have provided accommodation and facilities for health workers during the pandemic.
Along with her non-profit organization (Airbnb.org), she will connect refugees with hosts who will offer their homes for free or at a reduced rate. In addition, the company’s donors are conducting large-scale fundraising, the amount of which went to various settlement agencies last week, as well as working with government agencies associated with Afghans looking for housing, giving them quick access to the service from anywhere.
