Admn trains specially-abled youth in running cafe

In an attempt to make Ludhiana a model city in disability, where youngsters become self reliant, the district administration had started a cafe for youngsters with special needs in October. The first phase of training to this end has been completed and phase two has been initiated.

Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain said that SPICE was not just a café — it’s a statement. “And together, we will make it loud,” he added.

There are two new Café SPICE (specialised programme for inclusion, confidence and empowerment) outlets that will be entirely run by specially-abled youth.

One café will come up inside the Mini-Secretariat (District Administrative Complex) with CSR support from Coca-Cola India. The second outlet will be set up at the headquarters of the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA).

Expansion of operations is a key component of Project UMEED, the district administration’s flagship initiative dedicated to skill development, dignified livelihoods and seamless social integration of specially-abled persons.

The first Café SPICE was inaugurated by the Deputy Commissioner on October 29 at the Government Dispensary in Ayali Khurd on Hambran Road. In just one month, the café has become a heartwarming success, managed independently by three trained specially-abled staff members — Paramveer Singh, Vikas and Amarjot Kaur — who confidently handle everything from cooking and serving to billing and warm customer interaction.

Reaffirming the administration’s commitment, Jain stated that the opening of two new outlets was a powerful statement of dignity, capability and equal opportunity.

“With these two new cafés, the district administration is creating more sustainable jobs and moving closer to our goal of making Ludhiana a truly friendly city for specially-abled persons with accessible infrastructure and a supportive ecosystem where they can work with pride and independence,” he said.