A wave of refugees poured in from Ukraine after the Russian offensive. In addition to several European Union countries ready to host them, online lodging company Airbnb is also offering to help.
Airbnb has stated that it will provide temporary housing to some 100,000 refugees from Ukraine at no charge. So where does the cost come from?
Airbnb will accept donations from residential owners or funds channeled through the Airbnb.org Refugee Fund. As quoted by us from CNBC, more than 500 thousand Ukrainians have been displaced since the war with Russia erupted, pouring into neighboring countries with minimal equipment.
"We need help to accomplish this mission. The greatest need is for more people to offer their homes in nearby countries including Poland, Germany, Hungary and Romania," said Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky.
Airbnb is doing the same thing for refugees from Afghanistan. Last September, Airbnb said it would host 20,000 refugees from the country.
So far, Airbnb has provided 54,000 homes for refugees and asylum seekers from various countries, including Syria, Venezuela, Afghanistan and now Ukraine.
They can stay temporarily in the house or accommodation provided by Airbnb for at least 5 years. However, for the latest influx of refugees from Ukraine, it is not yet known how long they will be accommodated by Airbnb.
On the other hand, the countries that are members of the European Union (EU) on Sunday (27/02) have moved to coordinate the welcome for hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians who are trying to save themselves from the Russian invasion. EU says it will give refugees protection status