Airbnb giving temporary housing to Afghan refugees worldwide

Airbnb will provide free housing to Afghan refugees across the world who are fleeing the Taliban takeover of their country, the company announced Tuesday.

Airbnb and Airbnb.org, the group’s nonprofit, will give 20,000 Afghan refugees temporary housing, although it is not clear how long the free housing will last.

Starting today, Airbnb will begin housing 20,000 Afghan refugees globally for free.

— Brian Chesky (@bchesky) August 24, 2021

The program is through Airbnb.org, which receives money from Airbnb, CEO and co-founder of the company Brian Chesky and donors to the nonprofit’s refugee fund, the company 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,” Chesky said.

The statement calls on other global businesses to join in efforts to help support Afghan refugees who have been uprooted from their homes as they fled the country to escape the rule of the Taliban.

Multiple countries have taken in Afghan refugees, and President Biden said the U.S. will take in refugees after they have been thoroughly vetted. 

Along with the temporary housing, the nonprofit said it has given money to “the International Rescue Committee (IRC), HIAS and Church World Service to provide immediate temporary stays via the Airbnb platform for up to 1,000 arriving Afghan refugees.”

The company also says around 25,000 refugees, with some part of the U.S. Special Immigrant Visa Program, have been provided temporary housing by Airbnb in the past four years. 

There will be thousands of Afghan refugees in need of a place to stay as the U.S. and its allies have been committed to evacuating Afghan individuals who helped the countries during the 20-year war in Afghanistan.