This Covid-19 disruptor is helping front-line healthcare workers with free accommodation

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought about unprecedented challenges for businesses across the globe. However, amidst the turmoil, it has also paved the way for innovation and new opportunities to emerge. One such initiative is Ubuntu Beds, a unique establishment that brings together hotels that have been sitting idle due to the pandemic with frontline healthcare workers in need of accommodation. Kim Walker, the founder of Ubuntu Beds, recently sat down with CNBC Africa to shed light on the establishment's inception and its future prospects. Ubuntu Beds was born out of a personal experience for Kim Walker. After returning from a cancelled business trip in Germany in early March, where he tested positive for Covid-19, Walker found himself contemplating the impact of the virus on both his personal life and hotel business in Cape Town and Johannesburg. It was during a Zoom call with a fellow entrepreneur in Lombardy, Italy, that the idea to repurpose closed hotels for healthcare workers' accommodation struck a chord with Walker. He saw an opportunity to use the vacant rooms in his hotels to provide a safe haven for frontline workers battling the virus. This gave birth to Ubuntu Beds, a platform that unites hospitality owners, apartment owners, B&Bs, and guesthouses to offer their rooms to healthcare workers. The platform has already facilitated accommodation for 50 healthcare workers, amounting to over 1,000 bed nights. With more than 15,000 rooms pledged throughout South Africa, ranging from free to heavily discounted rates, Ubuntu Beds aims to provide accommodation for 2,500 healthcare workers in the coming months. Looking beyond the current crisis, Walker envisions a sustainable future for Ubuntu Beds. While initially conceived as a response to the pandemic, the founder believes that the essence of providing safe spaces during humanitarian or natural disasters will have a lasting relevance. He sees Ubuntu Beds as a platform that can offer refuge to those displaced by events like fires or other crises, emphasizing the enduring importance of hospitality and community support. Walker draws inspiration from historical practices, citing the use of hotels to house doctors during the 1919 flu pandemic as evidence of the enduring role of hospitality in times of need. The overwhelming support from hospitality owners further solidifies Walker's belief in the long-term viability of Ubuntu Beds beyond the current pandemic. Despite the uncertainties surrounding the future, Walker remains optimistic about the potential of Ubuntu Beds to continue its mission of providing safe accommodation for those in need. As the conversation shifts towards Walker's personal health, he reassures that he has fully recovered from Covid-19, experiencing only mild symptoms. Reflecting on his own journey with the virus, Walker acknowledges the unpredictable nature of the disease, stressing the importance of vigilance and awareness in the face of the ongoing health crisis. With Ubuntu Beds bridging the gap between idle hotel rooms and frontline healthcare workers, the initiative stands as a beacon of hope and solidarity during these challenging times.