With the political unrest in the Middle East, more refugees are fleeing their home countries in search for new homes. More than 1.1 million migrants have arrived in Germany since the start of 2015, many of whom do not have proper places to live. Refugees who have made it into Europe were moved into overpopulated migrant camps that had little resources. Majority of people end up homeless, sleeping on the street and with almost no chance at finding proper jobs.
After seeing reports about refugees fleeing violence in the Middle East, Kuwait-born Amr Arafa decided to create a website to connect refugees and victims of domestic violence with people who are offering a safe place to stay until they get back on their feet. The website, EmergencyBnB, allows both hosts and guests to access the website to get in touch with each other. Like its name states, the provision of housing is not for a long period of time. These people or families are able to seek shelter in the homes of people until they are independent enough to leave.
Another platform that provides temporary housing for refugees is Refugees Welcome in Germany. The non-profit organisation has two primary goals - to match these refugees with homes, and to properly assimilate them into the host country's culture. Started in 2014, has since matched more than 800 asylum-seekers with hosts and helping them adapt to the new country. Under their program, refugees are expected to pay rent, but most are being subsidised by the government. Hosts can also charge a heavily discount rate such that refugees are able to afford the cost of living. The non-profit organisation encourages home owners to open up their flats to refugees, but there has been a declining rate in rooms being let out due to cases of refugee violence within the country.
Registration of rooms have fallen to about 70 per month, but refugee applications reached over 10,000. Despite the significantly less rooms available, matching refuges to hosts also incur a long processing time as these refugees have to be screened to determine whether they are suitable candidates. Questions include their background, origin country, age, spoken languages. Once a refugee passes the screening, the refugees and hosts must then meet in person first before the refugee moves in. In the eyes of hosts, an empty room provides them with an opportunity to help someone in need. In the eyes of these refugees, the empty room signifies a new beginning. Not only does the room provide these refugees with a shelter over their heads, but it also allows them an opportunity to start over. Living with a local roommate can significantly help refugees assimilate into the country as locals can teach them the culture and the system in this entirely foreign place.
The sharing economy has great potential in helping refugees seek better lives in their new found home. Although the number of asylum-seekers in Germany is said to increase from 600,000 in a year, shared homes is the first step to enable them to blend in and start their new lives here successfully.
References:
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-europe-migrants-germany-survey-idUSKBN13A22F
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/emergencybnb-aims-bring-sharing-economy-worlds-vulnerable/story?id=41569437
http://www.cnbc.com/2016/08/18/refugees-welcome-aims-to-use-sharing-economy-to-ease-europe-immigration-crisis.html
http://www.ibtimes.com/refugee-bnb-or-refugee-tinder-why-german-citizens-are-taking-asylum-seekers-their-2096685
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