A culinary training program within the international women’s network Yalla—Boden’s first work-integrating social enterprise—recently concluded with a festive graduation featuring flavors from around the world at the Golf Restaurant in Sävast.
During a six-month training program, a group of seven women with roots in Iraq, Kurdistan, Palestine, Afghanistan, and Ukraine completed their culinary education.
“During the training, they developed their knowledge of both food hygiene and cooking, and also gained valuable experience through internships in both restaurant kitchens and preschools,” says Maria Turdieva, one of the managers at Yalla.
The training was based on the same core curriculum as equivalent high school courses, covering everything from basic cooking and preparation methods to kitchen tools, machinery and equipment, ingredients, ergonomics, work environment, safety, and regulations.
Pride, community, and hope for the future
The students were responsible for both the cooking and service at their graduation, held at the Golf Restaurant in Sävast. Lunch consisted of a buffet with dishes from their home countries, offering an exciting journey around the world in both words and flavors.
The guests, including teachers from SFI (Swedish for Immigrants), got to experience the results of the program’s practical components. Afterwards, grades and certificates were handed out as well-deserved recognition of all their hard work. The ceremony was characterized by pride, community, and hope for the future, where the presentation of diplomas marked the end of the training and the beginning of new opportunities.
The program’s internship weeks have already led to employment for some of the participants.
In addition to the training, Yalla offers catering for coffee breaks and lunches, sandwich cakes, and more.
Integration
Yalla is a concrete example of how professional skills are combined with labor market establishment, building on the participants’ interests in the multicultural and international Boden. Yalla creates meeting places and employment across cultural and linguistic boundaries while developing new services and promoting language skills and integration for women from all over the world.
TEXT: ANNA BERGSTRÖM
