Two Harvard University freshmen have launched a website designed to connect people fleeing Ukraine to those in safer countries willing to take them in.
Harvard freshman Marco Burstein, 18, of Los Angeles, works on his computer near the campus of Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., March 16, 2022. Moved by the plight of Ukrainian refugees desperate to escape Russian bombardment across the former Soviet republic, Burstein and classmate Avi Schiffman, of Seattle, used their coding skills to create UkraineTakeShelter.com over three frenzied days in early March.
Since then, more than 18,000 prospective hosts have signed up on the site to offer assistance to refugees seeking matches with hosts in their preferred or convenient locations. On a recent day, Burstein and Schiffmann logged 800,000 users. Schiffmann, who's been taking a semester off to work on several projects, said from Miami he was inspired to use his internet activism to help after attending a pro-Ukraine rally in San Diego.
Mijatov and his wife signed up at an embassy indicating they'd help, but then stumbled upon the Harvard students' site and registered there as well. Burstein and Schiffmann designed the platform with combat refugees' particular concerns in mind. They worked to make it as easy to use as possible so someone in immediate danger can enter their location and see the offers of help that are closest to them.
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