Business Meets Charity: Airbnb's Nonprofit Wing Houses Afghan Refugees

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(OPINION) As the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan was turning ugly and the Taliban took province after province, the world watched the concept of human rights disappear overnight and a massive exodus begin for those in fear for their lives. Reports of mass killings and the targeting of religious minorities, women and girls, human rights defenders and others followed. 

Those living in Afghanistan began to experience chaos, instability, pain and suffering. All the while, the world has watched helplessly. Some, including businesses, have taken steps to assist the people of Afghanistan, addressing the needs of targeted groups. 

In August, Airbnb.org, an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit, announced its pledge to house 20,000 Afghan refugees worldwide. The initiative was to be funded by Airbnb, Airbnb CEO and co-founder Brian Chesky and donors to the Airbnb.org Refugee Fund. Airbnb.org was specifically established to provide temporary accommodation for people in crisis, including those displaced by natural disasters and conflict, and front-line workers responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

On the issue of Afghan refugees, the nonprofit emphasized in August that “it has become abundantly clear that the displacement and resettlement of Afghan refugees here in the United States and elsewhere is a significant humanitarian crisis — and in the face of this need, our community is ready to once again step up.”

Chesky added, “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.”

The nonprofit has been supporting the work of many international organizations, including the International Rescue Committee, HIAS, Church World Service and others. In October, Airbnb.org provided emergency assistance to Afghan women at risk who were evacuated from Afghanistan by the International Bar Associations’ Human Rights Institute, in collaboration with international and regional evacuation partners. Among the women at risk were women judges, lawyers and prosecutors who worked on the trials of the Taliban. After the Taliban took over, prisoners were released and posed a significant threat to the women who contribute to their imprisonment.

The International Rescue Committee supported these women at risk and evacuated 103 of them, including women judges, lawyers, prosecutors, journalists and human rights defenders, along with their families — close to 500 people in total — with two flights to a safe country. As the second flight with 370 people was preparing to leave Afghanistan, the host country that initially promised to provide the families with assistance — including housing — informed the team that they could not house them and threatened to prevent them from landing unless they confirmed hotel bookings. Airbnb.org stepped up to the challenge. It not only promised to fund the accommodation of 79 families for two weeks but also put together a team to find the accommodation in the hours before the flight was due to land in the host country.

In the last four years, Airbnb.org provided 25,000 refugees with temporary housing. Furthermore, Airbnb.org announced the creation of the $25 million refugee fund to further support this work globally. 

When faced with such crises as seen in Afghanistan over recent months, there is a need for a variety of actors to provide assistance, including businesses. Businesses can do good and as seen in the case of Airbnb.org their assistance can effectively fill the gaps in humanitarian responses.

This piece was republished from Forbes with permission.

Ewelina U. Ochab is a legal researcher, human rights advocate, doctoral candidate and author of the book “Never Again: Legal Responses to a Broken Promise in the Middle East” and more than 30 U.N. reports. She works on the topic of the persecution of minorities around the world.