Airbnb has announced the latest recipients of Airbnb Community Fund grants, which include more than 160 organisations making a difference in 30+ countries across six continents.
Launched in 2020, the Airbnb Community Fund is a $100 million / KSh12.9 billion initiative to directly support local communities and the people who live there.
Each year, Airbnb donates to organisations that are supporting and strengthening communities around the world, including donations made in partnership with local hosts in many of these communities.
Each year, we’re proud to partner with hosts to identify important issues and many of the non-profit organisations to receive donations.
Airbnb hosts are deeply connected to their communities and by involving them in this process, we aim for the Fund to drive meaningful impact.
As in previous years, hosts helped direct a majority of the donations. Airbnb Community Fund recipients across Africa This year’s Community Fund grants were directed to organisations focused on three issue areas identified by the Airbnb host advisory board as important to the global host community: economic empowerment, environmental sustainability, and ending abuse and exploitation.
Grants directed to organisations in Africa include:
●Digify Africa (South Africa), a youth-led organisation that aims to equip young people with vital digital skills, empowering them to thrive in the digital economy and contribute to entrepreneurship, employment, and sustainable development across Africa.
●AfriLabs (Nigeria), a pan-African network which aims to empower entrepreneurs with essential skills, funding, and networks to scale their businesses.
The funding will be used to support innovation hubs and their communities to raise high potential entrepreneurs that will stimulate economic growth and social development in Africa.
●Children of Africa (Kenya), a charity that empowers underprivileged girls through vocational training and employment opportunities. The organisation also supports disadvantaged children in pursuing formal education through a sponsorship program.
●Global Give Back Circle (Kenya), a social impact enterprise that provides vulnerable adolescent girls and young women with the support and opportunities they need to dream, believe, achieve, and become catalysts for positive change in their communities and beyond.
Members of local Host Clubs, which are led by volunteer hosts, nominated local, community-based non-profit organisations making a difference in their communities and then helped select the finalists.
Members of 85 Host Clubs – nearly double from last year – representing more than 30 countries selected organisations to receive grants, including Women’s Institute for Secondary Education and Research (WISER) International on behalf of WISER Kenya and Round Table Margate No 46 (Tidy Towns Shelly to Margate) in South Africa.
“Airbnb’s generous donation has been instrumental in enabling us to expand our efforts in empowering young people with digital skills and opportunities,” said COO of Digify Africa, Qhakaza Mohare.
“It allowed us to lay the foundation for our Marketplace initiative, connecting graduates to real-world opportunities, and further supported the growth of our GP program. This contribution has had a ripple effect, enhancing our organisation’s capacity and creating pathways for sustainable impact in underserved communities,” she added.
The Airbnb Community Fund in action
To date, the Airbnb Community Fund has distributed more than $36 million / KES4.6 billion to non-profit organisations in nearly 70 countries, with hosts providing input each year.
To learn more about the Airbnb Community Fund visit here.
