Refugees Welcome has been described as Air BnB for refugees. It is a site that aims to connect refugees with people who have spare rooms to let in their apartments/houses. It was started by a couple Mareike Geiling and Jonas Kakoschke in Berlin, initially to host refugees in Germany and Austria, but it is branching out into other EU countries. It is essentially a platform that enables ordinary people to help out with the refugee crisis that is facing Europe as thousands of people flee their home countries due to war, terrorism etc. The project was primarily set up as an innovative solution to stop the housing of refugees en masse in makeshift accommodation, but at its most fundamental level, it helps human to reconnect with and to help their fellow humans.
Often ordinary citizens are left feeling helpless as political crises, such as the current refugee crisis in Europe, escalate and they feel that they cannot help. This seed provides a platform that allows people to contribute in a small way towards improving someone else’s life. The idea of valuing refugees and treating them as people, not as a problem is a powerful message from this seed.
Refugees Welcome is a simple idea that is easily replicable- and has its origins in similarly globally relevant initiatives such as Air BnB. Working off an online platform, it is also relatively easily accessible. However, the underlying values of the seed- that of treating all people with equal respect and dignity conveys a strong message.
For popular articles on this seed, check out:
http://www.haaretz.com/news/world/1.673649
and
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/01/berlin-group-behind-airbnb-for-refugees-overwhelmed-by-offers-of-help?CMP=fb_gu
