National Foods Limited, through its flagship initiative, National Foodpreneur Programme, has launched a three-month Professional Culinary Training that gives ten Deaf women and men the practical skills to build careers and livelihoods in the hospitality industry.

Launched in partnership with ConnectHear, the initiative aims to promote inclusion, accessibility, and equal opportunity. With training support from the Civil Society Human and Institutional Development Programme (CHIP) to ConnectHear, participants will receive hands-on training in various cuisines, food hygiene, safety and HACCP principles, and professional kitchen operations.

Commenting on the programme, Sarah Dawood, Head of Corporate Reputation, National Foods Limited, said, “National Foodpreneur by National Foods is underpinned by our vision to create food that enriches the lives of people everywhere, and our mission goes beyond the plate. As a food leader, empowering the next generation of chefs, including Persons with Disabilities, is more than teaching a craft. It is a commitment to inclusion, socioeconomic uplift, and the enduring development of our communities.”

Azima Dhanjee, CEO and Co-founder, ConnectHear, added, “Our community with disabilities has immense talent. By ensuring accessible training, sign language instruction, and trained teachers, this culinary programme gives ten Deaf individuals a pathway to professional skills and employment. It shows how thoughtful accommodations can make mainstream training accessible. We hope more organisations will bring a disability inclusion lens to their training programmes and workplaces.”

The programme reflects National Foods’ focus on building a more inclusive and accessible food and hospitality industry, creating equitable pathways for persons with disabilities to pursue professional growth and greater economic independence.