São Paulo – Airbnb, a platform that connects hosts and guests, and Migraflix, a non-profit organization that connects refugees and immigrants to the Brazilian society through entrepreneurship, created Raízes na Cidade (Roots in the City) this year. The project will train refugees and immigrants living in São Paulo to offer cultural experiences. Instead of the best-known hosting services of Airbnb, the refugees will act as guides in activities in the city related to their own history.
Therefore, the entities opened applications for a course for refugees and immigrants that will be organized by Airbnb and Migraflix. The first phase has already begun, and after the applications, the selected students will be interviewed. The organizations want to know more about the personal history of each candidate in order to evaluate how he or she may develop the project.
The classes offered include themes focused in public speaking, cultural activities, and entrepreneurship. The selection process for the 50 places is in progress and the course goes from March to May this year. “Our job is focused in elevating the prominence of immigrants and refugees and attenuate the difficulties they encounter when living in a new country. So, we are very excited in having Airbnb as a partner and amplifying the cultural interchange between Brazilians and the people who just came to the country,” stated the Migraflix founder Jonathan Berezovsky in a press release.
At the end of the course, the students will propose their own activities related to their own cultural roots and life stories showing, for example, their local gastronomy, music and other artistic expressions. In return, they will receive a certificate and will be able to host Airbnb Experiences, a product offered since 2016. The format allows hosts to formulate a tour, an activity or a class to take their guests to, without having to receive them in their home.
The students in Raízes na Cidade will be able to offer their packages in the category Social Impact, where they can explore themes of their culture to both travelers and São Paulo residents through the platform. All the revenue will be reverted to the host. “This partnership with Migraflix is aligned with Airbnb values of diversity and inclusion. We believe everyone can belong anywhere – and this includes experiencing diverse cultures of the world,” stated Brazilian Airbnb director-general Leo Tristão in a press release.
Migraflix offers a series of other activities related to social and economic integration of refugees and immigrants to Brazilian society, specially in the areas of gastronomy and handicraft.
Quick Facts
Project Raízes na Cidade
Applications through https://bit.ly/2sG4nVX
More info: https://www.facebook.com/migraflix/
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
