Afghan refugees are driven on a bus that takes them to a refugee processing center on arrival at Dulles International Airport in Dulles, Virginia, on August 25, 2021.
Kevin Lamarque | Reuters
The companies are rushing to support the thousands of refugees who have been evacuated from Afghanistan in recent days and who are now facing the difficult task of building a new life in an unknown country.
Airbnb, Verizon, Walmart and Texas Medical Technology are some of those who have offered to help the more than 100,000 people who fled the country to the U.S. after Kabul fell to the Taliban on Aug. 15.
On Tuesday, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said the company plans to house 20,000 refugees for free worldwide.
The refugees will be housed on the properties listed on the Airbnb platform and the stays will be funded by Airbnb, Chesky said on Twitter, without specifying exactly how much the company plans to spend on the commitment or for how long it will house the refugees. .
On Thursday, Airbnb invited non-hosts to help through its website dedicated to emergency housing that allows homeowners to offer any space available for free or at a discount. Airbnb urges those who have no space available to donate money to support housing efforts.
While access to housing is essential, many refugees will have to find work in their new countries to become financially independent.
Texas Medical Technology, a medical equipment supplier and distributor, said it plans to hire 100 Afghan refugees in a year at a 144,000-square-foot factory in Houston.
He hopes to have employed 10 Afghan refugees by the end of the month.
Free calls to Afghanistan
He then keeps in touch with friends and family who are still in Afghanistan, which will be of vital importance to some in the immediate future.
On Tuesday, Verizon said it plans to waive charges for calls from its regular consumer, business and residential customers in Afghanistan through Sept. 6.
“During this time of need, customers need to stay connected with loved ones in Afghanistan,” said Ronan Dunne, executive vice president and CEO of Verizon’s Verizon Consumer Group. “Giving up these types of call charges will help them focus on what matters: communicating with family and friends.”
The phone company also invites customers to donate $ 10 to the International Rescue Committee by sending a text message to RESCUE at 25383.
Mental health support
The mental health burden of Afghan refugees could be enormous.
Hims & Hers, a telehealth platform that connects people with licensed health professionals, said Wednesday it plans to make 10,000 mental health calls with Afghan refugees.
“With the mission of providing access to high-quality, comfortable and affordable medical care and personalized treatment plans and solutions, we feel a moral responsibility to act quickly,” the company said in a post on the site’s blog web Hims & Hers.
Dental kits
Byte said he plans to give at least 25,000 oral care kits to Afghan refugees resettling in the United States and elsewhere. Neeraj Gunsagar, CEO of the company, said he believes it is a moral obligation and in the national interest of the US to help refugees in this crisis.
Instead of offering direct support, some companies donate money to charities. Discount retailer Walmart, for example, donates $ 1 million to groups that help Afghan refugees in the United States through its philanthropic arm.
Thousands are still trying to flee Afghanistan before President Joe Biden’s August 31 deadline and there are concerns that many who want to leave the country cannot.
The Pentagon said Sunday it had summoned 18 civilian aircraft from United Airlines, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines, among others, to help transport those parked in temporary locations after landing on flights from Afghanistan.