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Is ManKind?
Is ManKind? Asks the Airbnb ad. "Are we good? Look through their windows so you can understand their views." And what's the current picture? We see 3 year old Aylan Kurdi lying dead on a Turkish beach. Thousands of people have died on the mediterranean crossing, fleeing wars in the Middle East. And for those who get to Hungary? We see hundreds trying to board trains in Budapest, being hit by helmeted riot police. The refugees are trying to get further north to Germany, which believes there's a moral duty to accept those fleeing genuine peril. And if they make it, why shouldn't the refugees 'sleep in our beds, eat at our tables' (as the advert goes) instead of being 'stigmatized and excluded by being housed in mass accommodations'? The thoughts of a young couple, 28-year-old Mareike Geiling and 31-year-old Jonas Kakoschke, who set up a website to establish a more humane culture of welcoming migrants. Refugees Welcome
has managed to house 134 migrants so far, as people in Austria and German open their homes. Dubbed 'Airbnb for Refugees', the organisation says they've been asked about setting up similar schemes in Greece, Portugal and the UK. They've nothing to do with the multi-billion dollar home-sharing site but as a new Airbnb host myself it struck me it's people like me, who've already bought into the sharing culture, who've got capacity to house people who could rapidly make a difference. Airbnb has 1.5 million homes on its books worldwide. And there's a precedent, when Hurricane Sandy hit the Caribbean and US Eastern coast in 2012, and thousands were homeless in New York, 1400 Airbnb hosts opened their doors in the city and inspired an Airbnb disaster response scheme for global emergencies, making it easy for hosts to provide space for people in need when disasters strike. More than 100 thousand migrants fled to Europe in the month of July alone, the highest number for a single month since border agency Frontex started keeping records - most are fleeing from Syria and Afghanistan, as well as Iraq and North Africa. “This is an emergency situation..." says it's Executive Director Fabrice Leggeri. Yet for Airbnb so far it doesn't count as an emergency or perhaps it's the wrong type of disaster. I've asked Airbnb if they are prepared to initiate their disaster response and I'm waiting for their answer. While Refugees Welcome is making a massive effort it's inundated with requests and Airbnb has the infrastructure in place, including the hosts. So I asked some of them how they felt, at a party put on by the company the other night. "My family would go mad," Suzanna said. A trainee barrister she explained she's already helped quite a few law students who are struggling financially and it's cost her family money, fixing the broken washing machine for instance. Diana likes the accreditation system on Airbnb, "With refugees you don't know where they're coming from," she added. Simon said he has reservations based on his perceptions formed by the British media and he feels he's been influenced by the largely negative portrayal of refugees. "So would you be worried you might get stuff stolen," I asked? "No I believe in reality the experience would suprise people," he replied. "I'm sure the refugees are people with high values, many are likely to be Muslim and Muslims don't steal," then he laughed as he pondered the mixed messages the UK media give us about the Muslim faith. Pete chipped in,"I think my fear is - would you get them out, would you honestly have the heart to turn around to someone and say it's time to go?" Then he asked out loud if it's better to have love and lose it than not to have love at all? He reflected it's odd how we have these stereotypical ideas about migrants and yet we were sitting in Airbnb Headquarters in Shoreditch, an area built up by Jewish refugees more than 50 years ago. Christina and Akito said they'd like to help someone get on their feet. "Refugees are generally well educated and I don't see why it would be any different to hosting a regular Airbnb guest," Christina said. The couple lived in Hamburg for years and said the German press has been good at dispelling the myths people have about migrants. "It's a subjective feeling people have that a refugee is going to want to stay for good," Christina observed, "Generally most people just want to get home as soon as the problems have been sorted out. Why isn't Airbnb helping out," they asked? "Summer's over - there are millions of free spare rooms they have access to. Their whole campaign is based upon the kindness of humanity." Other hosts I've canvassed since seem to share similar views, the main fear being around perception that people would not want to leave - and others think it's a great idea. One host is building a special shelter in his garden in preparation. While German Chancellor Angela Merkel has lead boldly, saying Europe cannot fail on this issue and British Premier David Cameron has now acknowledged a moral responsibility, saying Britain will take in thousands more Syrian refugees and provide £100m in aid - is this solely a political problem or is it a humanitarian crisis which calls for a humanitarian response from politicians, institutions and individuals alike and altogether? The crisis ignites deeply held fears and hopes - as the politicians are wrangling with those issues there are institutions who are stepping up. Football Club Bayern Munich is donating a million euros to refugee support projects as well as offering young migrants football training and German lessons to help them feel welcome. On an individual level we can appeal to politicians and institutions, like Airbnb, to do more - and do what we can personally, if we are so minded, depending upon which side of the fence we are on. 17 thousand people have now signed up to a facebook page set up by Icelandic author and professor Bryndis Bjorgvinsdottir calling on her Government to set up immediate systems and do more to deal with the crisis, people are offering clothes, food, toys as well as shelter, subscriptions to the page have gone up by a thousand in the hour or so it's taken me to write this. And there are similar facebook initiatives and fundraisers kicking off in parts of London and other UK cities showing people aren't prepared to sit on the fence on this one and showing just how kind men and women can be.  "Let's Adore and Endure Each Other" says the street art by Airbnb Headquarters in London. Links: Is ManKind? Hundreds in Hungary 'migrant train' standoff Refugees Welcome Airbnb disaster response Frontex Merkel warns of EU failure Merkel the bold Bayern Munich Just because it isn't happening here doesn't mean Airbnb for Refugees |
