Mumbai to get its first special cafe run by staff with developmental abilities

For years they were too afraid to talk to anybody worried that no one would accept them because they were autistic It was a love for cooking that changed their lives after they started a dabba service two years ago and won the appreciation of their customers Now they hope to share the joy of food with more people at their very own cafe the first of its kind in the cityFrom the group of eight foodies seven are autistic while one has Down Syndrome ndash both are conditions that can hamper a persons ability to communicate making it hard for them to find a job or have social interactionsOnce they would sit at home all day too afraid to step out and speak to people or look for work Today though they are all together cooking in a makeshift kitchen that is filled with laughter and the aroma of cookies and other snacks being made Soon they will pack the food and deliver it in tiffin boxes to hundreds of customers at various offices in JuhuThe eight aspiring restaurateurs started their culinary journey in 2015 by supplying dabbas to officegoersComplete transformationeveryone in the group Aarti Nagarkar Anand Jangir Chetan Jawale Nazneen Kagalwala Pratibha Kamat Raees Shaikh Sudha Chhabria Bunny Amani ndash is aged between 20 and 45 but most had similar difficulties before they started cooking togetherThe difference between their lives from two years ago is stark One boy never used to talk earlier but now he is the most talkative in the group One of the women did not have a job earlier but now she proudly carries a bag to the kitchen every morning like other working women said Ashaita Mahajan manager of Yash Charitable Trust which started the Arpan dabba service in 2015 to empower people with special needsCurrently they work out of a makeshift kitchen from 9 am to 3 pm This small kitchen is like their home They have all become friends and they celebrate their birthdays and festivals together It has helped them to come out of their cocoon said AshaitaWe started the dabba system in 2015 and taught them how to cook This group has a strong work ethic They are extremely attentive and very focused on their work Starting from buying groceries to cutting vegetables cooking and delivery they handle everything meticulously added AshaitaBigger dreamsThe appreciation of their customers has helped to build their confidence So much so that the octet now dream of starting their own cafe where more people can enjoy their food and become more accepting of those with developmental disabilitiesWhile the location is yet to be decided the cafes construction will require around Rs 10 lakh The trust has already raised as much as Rs 75 lakh through crowdfunding They now need another Rs 25 lakh to the dream come trueIn foreign countries there are cafes that are successfully run by people with special needs In India the idea is yet to gain popularity With this initiative I hope more number people will come forward to accept them said Ashaita