This newly opened cafe in Abu Dhabi is special
Run by five Emirati people of determination, cafe sends out strong message of empowerment
Abu Dhabi: A cafe in Abu Dhabi, being run entirely by five Emirati people of determination, has been officially inaugurated in the capital by health officials.
The first external branch of Bee Cafe for people of determination is affiliated with the Zayed Higher Organisation for People of Determination (ZHO) and is located at the Department of Health (DoH) headquarters. It was inaugurated by Abdulla Al Hamed, the DoH chairman.
The cafe is open from 8am to 5pm on weekdays. It offers a range of speciality coffees and healthy snacks such as vegan cookies. The facility also serves as a space to promote and raise awareness on people of determination and their social contributions, while also empowering people with special needs.
The proceeds of the cafe will go towards supporting people of determination. It is the first branch of the Bee Cafe outside the ZHO offices.
‘Health-care support and community initiatives’
“We are dedicated to supporting our wise leadership’s vision to foster a more inclusive society for people of determination, offering health-care support and community initiatives that help them pursue their ambitions and achieve their full potential. We are honoured to host the first external branch of the Bee Cafe at our headquarters. Working alongside these talented and resilient individuals will no doubt inspire our own drive and motivation for continuous learning and development,” Al Hamed said following the inauguration.
The five staff members at the cafe underwent a six-month training programme ahead of its opening, learning about food preparation, hospitality, food services, hygiene, sterilisation and first aid.
‘Upskilling people of determination’
“At Zayed Higher Organisation for People of Determination, we seek to empower People of Determination across all segments of society. We do this by forging public-private partnerships to enable them to pursue careers they are passionate about. Many people of determination have already been trained to enter the labour market across various fields and have launched several innovative projects, including the Bee Cafe for speciality coffee, which is associated with the unique Bee brand,” said Abdullah Al Humaidan, the ZHO secretary-general.