You can now host a refugee family for dinner through Airbnb

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@eatout_southafrica

You can now host a refugee family for dinner through Airbnb

Monday, March 6th, 2017 by Linda Scarborough

A post shared by Airbnb (@airbnb) on Oct 5, 2016 at 4:39pm PDT

Humans certainly have their differences, but we do have one big thing in common: everybody loves a home-cooked meal made with heart.

Accommodation-sharing platform Airbnb is using this shared interest to encourage people to cross cultural barriers through its Supper With Us (supperwith.us) initiative.

The concept works with resettlement agencies in the United States to put refugee families – from countries like Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Iraq, Pakistan and Syria – in touch with volunteers who host dinner gatherings in their homes.

This is part of a bigger humanitarian movement by the company, called We Accept. Through its worldwide community, Airbnb has provided housing for evacuees of disasters and, earlier this year, facilitated free housing through volunteer hosts for those barred from entering the US by executive order of President Trump.

A post shared by Airbnb (@airbnb) on Jan 29, 2017 at 1:36pm PST

While not everyone is in the position to offer a bed, Supper With Us is a humble gesture of welcome to people who are displaced or new to a country, and offers an opportunity to share stories and understanding – and, hopefully, chocolate.

Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia, who shared these ideas at Design Indaba held in Cape Town from 1–3 March 2017, explained how his company aims to ‘create a community so that anyone can belong anywhere’.

One Supper With Us volunteer in Los Angeles said: ‘Such a great experience! My family had the opportunity to meet people who we never would have interacted with otherwise. A lot of our assumptions and preconceived notions about refugees were dispelled and we had the opportunity to connect as people. I definitely look forward to doing it again!’

Supper With Us seems to be only in the USA for now, but here’s hoping it gets off the ground in South Africa – and elsewhere – soon. Visit supperwith.us for more info.