raised of $18,000 USD goal
Giving is better together! Your share could raise over $77.
https://www.launchgood.com/v4/campaign/timepeace__refugee_work_exchange
“Whoever guides someone to goodness will have a reward like the one who did it.”
— Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
Impact: New York, NY
Verification in progress. Learn More
This campaign will collect all funds raised by February 28, 2018 at 6:30 PM EDT
Karvan is mobile application & online non-monetary currency designed to empower refugees & foster integration by facilitating skill and service exchanges between refugees and residents around the world. Since refugees are not permitted to earn money in many countries, Karvan uses a non-monetary points system.
See our short, animated video here.
We are currently living through the largest mass migration since World War II - 65 million people around the world have been forcibly displaced from their homes. In many places, they are not permitted to earn money. Therefore, they are kept in enforced impoverishment, despite being both willing and able to work.
At Karvan, our aim is to break down walls by enabling citizens and refugees to interact as equally empowered participants in mutually beneficial transactions.
As well as our non-monetary marketplace, we are offering free workshops, classes, language training, legal advice and other educational services to refugees. But our ability to continue providing these vital services depends on our ability to raise enough funds to sustain ourselves. So far, not a single Karvan employee has taken any payment and 100% of costs has been fronted by the founder's pocket. The money from this campaign will be used to pay for app development, legal fees and administrative costs.
Asylum seekers are left with very few social arenas in which to make friends, leading them to feel disconnected and demoralised. They are human beings with unique talents and skills. They want to resume normal lives, make connections, feel productive and valuable, and feel a sense of belonging in their new communities.
That's the beauty of this app! Users create profiles detailing the skills and interests that they are willing to exchange using our safe and secure network. This could be anything from cooking lessons (or horse-riding!) and language tutoring to legal advice, web design, medical care or psychological support.
Soraya is a BA/MA student at Columbia University, double-majoring in Film and Middle Eastern studies and specializing in post-colonial marginalization, displacement and migration. She advocates passionately about veganism, environmentalism and issues of exploitation through her website, online store and creative projects. She also studies several languages, and enjoys making documentary films and music. After having spent time studying, researching, visiting camps and interacting with refugees in Jordan and Europe (including “The Jungle”, northern France’s notorious unofficial refugee camp), Soraya sought an interdisciplinary approach to the crisis, spanning the humanitarian, political and academic realms. She wanted to develop an innovative tech solution that had significant scaleability; to create a global movement. The aim was to supersede typical humanitarian responses, which can sometimes be demeaning or unsustainable.
Karvan will launch May/June 2017. The team have been gauging interest via the Facebook group Soraya started, which grew to nearly 4,000 members in two weeks. Meanwhile, they continue to do research projects in camps across Europe while encouraging more users to join the group. In addition they will be hosting events across major cities to raise money for app expenses.
Karvan is a non-profit charitable company. The initial funding we require will go towards app development -- an expensive process for such an ambitious project -- and then after we raise the initial 12k, the rest of our funds will go towards legal fees, marketing, registration and paying our dedicated and talented employees fair wages. So far, everything we have done has been out-of-pocket. We see our project as one that could shake things up in the world in a major way -- from homeless people to talented, struggling students, we believe that everyone should have a fair chance at independence. In order for this to be sustainable and grow into the worldwide movement we would like this to be, we need your help!
Please follow the links:
Facebook >> https://www.facebook.com/groups/refugeeworkexchange/ , https://www.facebook.com/refugeeworkexchange
Instagram.com/karavansary
Enquiries -> s.beheshti@columbia.edu
T-shirts will be shipped out in 3-6 months, or after 100 shirts have been ordered
Thank You
Your donation will go along way towards empowering refugees and aiding social justice!
102 claimed
شُكْرا (shukran)
Your donation will go along way towards empowering refugees and aiding social justice!
33 claimed
Shukran & t-shirt (short sleeve)
Choose either a long or short sleeve t-shirt from the pictures in the description.
24 claimed
Shukran & t-shirt (long sleeve)!
Pictured in the description.
34 of 40 claimed
Merci (France)
Get a social media shout-out, to an audience of over 14,000 people. Your donation will go along way towards empowering refugees and aiding social justice!
16 claimed
Ευχαριστώ (ef-khah-ree-STO, Greece)
Get a social media shout-out, to an audience of over 14,000 people. Your donation will go along way towards empowering refugees and aiding social justice!
12 claimed
مننه (manana, Afghanistan)
Get a social media shout-out, to an audience of over 14,000 people. Your donation will go along way towards empowering refugees and aiding social justice!
4 claimed
Teşekkür ederim (Turkey)
Get a social media shout-out, to an audience of over 14,000 people. Your donation will go along way towards empowering refugees and aiding social justice!
0 claimed
Grazie (Italy)
Get a social media shout-out, to an audience of over 14,000 people. You can also Skype with the founders. Your donation will go along way towards empowering refugees and aiding social justice!
1 claimed
Danke (Germany)
Get a social media shout-out, to an audience of over 14,000 people. You can also Skype with the founders. Your donation will go along way towards empowering refugees and aiding social justice!
1 claimed
Obrigado (Portugal)
Get a social media shout-out, to an audience of over 14,000 people. You can also Skype with the founders. Your donation will go along way towards empowering refugees and aiding social justice!
1 claimed
شكريه (shukria, Pakistan)
Get a social media shout-out, to an audience of over 14,000 people. You can also Skype with the founders. Your donation will go along way towards empowering refugees and aiding social justice!
0 claimed
Giving is better together! Your share could raise over $77.
https://www.launchgood.com/v4/campaign/timepeace__refugee_work_exchange
“Whoever guides someone to goodness will have a reward like the one who did it.”
— Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
Naima Khandaker
Vice Ismail
An Anonymous kind soul
Numair Ahmed
Tanvir Uddin
An Anonymous kind soul
An Anonymous kind soul
Naima Khandaker
Jamak Clifton
Elsa Bollmeier
An Anonymous kind soul
An Anonymous kind soul
Taha Qureshi
An Anonymous kind soul
Ovais Miannoor
An Anonymous kind soul
An Anonymous kind soul
Natasha Haroon
An Anonymous kind soul
Wardah Khan
Giving is better together! Your share could raise over $77.
https://www.launchgood.com/v4/v4/campaign/timepeace__refugee_work_exchange
“Whoever guides someone to goodness will have a reward like the one who did it.”
— Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
Every donation is backed by our Trust & Safety guarantee.
Each fundraiser is reviewed by our team to ensure they are legitimate.
Our encryption and security protocols protect your personal information and financial data.
We take great care in providing a world-class giving experience.
Backed by our Trust & Safety guarantee
Giving is better together! Your share could raise over $77.
https://www.launchgood.com/v4/campaign/timepeace__refugee_work_exchange
“Whoever guides someone to goodness will have a reward like the one who did it.”
— Prophet Muhammad ﷺ