Menus and Milestones

Within the next couple of weeks, 30 women will be starting the My First Job Assistant Chef Training. Most of these women have never been to school and live in remote locations in Western China where opportunities are limited. The My First Job program will equip these 30 women with skills, confidence and the ability to become assistant chefs. For most of us, reading menus, recipes, and ingredient lists is a common task and often taken for granted. But for these women, learning to read these things is a huge milestone and creates significant impact on their confidence in their abilities.

One participant shares her story with us:

“I am a single mother. I have never been to school because my parents didn’t value the education of girls. I got married to a good man and we were happy until I gave birth to a baby girl. Both my husband and my mother-in-law wanted a boy and resented me and my daughter. We were both eventually banished from the household. I had nowhere else to go, so I had to move back home with my aging parents.

My daughter has just started school and her teacher tells me that she doesn’t like to speak in class and always sits alone. I worry for my daughter and I want her to receive good education. I don’t want her to be like me; illiterate and with limited to no job opportunities. My goal is to be able to send my daughter to school and see her finish college so she can be a confident and independent woman. For a single mother like me, this is nearly impossible in my current situation. I am looking forward to joining the My First Job Assistant Chef Program. I like cooking very much. I know this will open up good opportunities to help me and my daughter have a better future.”

My First Job Assistant Chef Training provides four months of intensive vocational training, followed by two months of direct help with job placement. Thank you to ZURU for partnering with us and funding 50% of this program.

Project Partner