We are currently facing the largest mass
migration of people since World War two.
Over 65 million individuals around the world
have been displaced with no country to
call home. Let's make it zero.
At Karavan, we believe the world should be a
sanctuary, where each and every
individual knows that they are safe
they are welcome; and they are important.
Unfortunately, this is not always the
case. Most refugees face abuse,
discrimination and racism almost every
single day. The most effective way to
tackle this problem is by providing a
platform for refugees and locals to
interact in free and mutually
beneficial exchanges. Everything we have
built today -- everything we are proud of--
was founded on the exchange of ideas.
Migration and the diversity it brings
has been the driving force of progress
and innovation. Some people will try to
tell you that refugees threaten our
cultural values -- but kindness, hospitality
these ARE our cultural values. Centuries
ago, merchants traveling along the Silk
Road could stop at places called caravansaries.
These were guest houses where
foreigners from all backgrounds were
welcomed and invited to eat drink rest
and interact with locals before
continuing onwards. They were hubs for
the cross-fertilization of cultures and
the diffusion of intellectual, spiritual
and social ideas -- but most importantly,
they were powerful symbols of the
hospitality and open-mindedness that
enabled some of the world's greatest
scientific and social breakthroughs to
take place. I'm Soraya beheshti. I was
first led to the refugee camp through my
research at Columbia University
University, and was moved and humbled by the
people whom I met there. Emergency aid
as indispensable as it is -- can only go so
far. It is a short-term solution to a
long-term problem. But I believe in the
power of technology and I believe in the
power of people. I wanted to devise an
innovative and sustainable solution to
the crisis because i believe that how we
treat our most vulnerable is a
reflection of who we are. In many
countries refugees are not permitted to
earn an income. This leaves them feeling
detached and demoralised. Refugees come
from all over the world. They have
diverse skill sets and they want to feel
as though they are valuable and productive
members of society. This is the gap our
nonprofit organization seeks to fill.
Users create profiles detailing the
skills they can offer. When another user
requests these services -- anything from
cooking lessons and language assistance
to medical assistance, web design work
work -- they are matched using a GPS. Users
are compensated for their time in points
which they can save or spend later
on. The App features built-in
messaging and translation functions and
a verification system to ensure a safe
environment. We understand that not
everyone can afford to quit their jobs
and move to a refugee camp. With Karavan
users can build networks of people
living in their own cities. This service
gives back independence to those who've
had it taken away from them. It is about
recognizing the dignity and inherent
potential in people all over the world
who are in situations that they may not
have chosen for themselves but are
trying to make the best of. No one
chooses to be a refugee. Therefore we
have a responsibility to share the
burden and create a world governed by
the values that we as a society of proud
of, through grassroots human-to-human
connection.
My name is Dan Burkardt and I'm a computer
science student at Columbia University
and a veteran of the United States Air
Force. I met Soraya, the founder of this
project, Karavan, on campus at an event.
She was talking about a mobile app that
could help refugees overcome some really
dire circumstances in their non native
countries. I really have been looking for a
project that was a kind of code-for-good
good or public good mobile project and
this was perfect, and so we've been
working together to build a platform
that will enable refugees to talk to one
another and actually trade goods and
services outside of the money economy. I
thought the project was such a great
idea, mainly because I thought it could
help bring the skills that people just
can't utilize in the regular economy but
would otherwise be able to live on in
their home country - to the place where
they currently are. I think that by
working on this project and actually
building this platform we can make a
difference in the lives of many people
in very dire circumstances
in a way that
really helps them get through their everyday lives
