Avi Schiffmann

For me, I'm behind a computer across the world, which is what I'm good at, but it's very disconnected sometimes, to see so many people from countries in every corner of the world doing something to help these refugees, who need and deserve safety, is really inspiring.

I see it like this : Almost everybody has a smart phone and internet connection, there's always something happening around the world, an earthquake, a war, a pandemic, and there is always a way to use technology to improve the lives of people in these humanitarian crisis.

When I researched what tools Ukrainian refugees had to get connected to hosts, they weren't very efficient, this website allows refugees to not have to sit on a curb in some European country during the winter while they wait for one overwhelmed group or another to connect them.

This puts power back into the hands of refugees by allowing them to take the initiative, go straight to the website, enter their city and immediately find listings, they don't need to rely on anyone else to help them find a safe place. There's millions of refugees, and it's going to be millions more, so balancing efficiency and security as well as safety is critical.

It can't get hacked into, and even if someone tries. There is nothing dangerous that can geolocate the refugees or put their lives at risk, there are safety features to make sure the refugees are in constant contact with the hosts until they arrive.

I have plans to expand to all refugees in general, refugees from Syria, Afghanistan, any victims of natural disasters or wars, it is just as important they can find available housing, too, and we're going to make that happen.

I remember thinking,' I know how to design websites with big platforms,' so how could I not do anything to help ? they need assistance, immediately and on a really big scale, and I had to find a way to make that happen as soon as possible.