If the past year has taught us anything, it is that we are stronger together and there are others out there who could always use a bit of support through these difficult times. In conjunction with International Week of The Deaf, we want to highlight the various merchant-partners on GrabFood who are supporting the deaf and other persons-with-disabilities (PWD) community. These businesses and individuals inspire us and the whole nation by showing that, with strength and sheer determination, we can achieve anything when we put our minds to it.
From social enterprises providing employment and upskilling opportunities to thriving businesses owned and managed by PWDs, here are some of the amazing merchant-partners on our platform who are championing the differently abled community. So the next time you’re thinking of ordering a meal, how about ordering from these merchants?
Empowering the Differently Abled
What better way to support the differently abled community, than by placing your orders with businesses owned and managed by people with different abilities? The Bassment Cafe is managed by twin brothers Michael and Jason Lim, who are deaf, with their younger brother, Oscar. Michael and Jason started working right after graduating high school but experienced some difficulty in advancing their respective careers due to being deaf. And so in 2018 they decided to take a chance to be completely independent by starting their own business, with the support of their family. Located at Section 14, Petaling Jaya, The Bassment Cafe features a Western style menu and hosts a dedicated event space!
Cafe Includes is another merchant to look out for. An initiative under Dialogue Includes All, Cafe Includes was founded by Stevens Chan, founder of Dialogue in The Dark Malaysia, and aims to provide career and employment opportunities for people with different abilities. Since the pandemic, Cafe Includes has pivoted to adopt a cloud kitchen concept where they train, enable and empower visually, physically and hearing impaired trainees to learn how to prepare food, take orders and even do marketing on delivery services like GrabFood.
They have also recently collaborated with Kenanga, who will sponsor 100 Cafe Includes orders every Friday until the end of the year. To redeem, users can use the code humanKIND on Fridays when ordering from them on GrabFood. Cafe Includes currently has 2 outlets where you can order from – The Weld, Kuala Lumpur and Seksyen 9, Petaling Jaya.
Another social enterprise which supports PWDs through employment, RC Deaf Missions Malaysia empowers deaf individuals through career opportunities. Co-founded in 2006 by siblings Agnes and Mario Peter, the RC Deaf Missions Malaysia aims to provide an avenue for the deaf to enhance their livelihoods while raising awareness about the deaf community through employment. Apart from having a cafe with deaf employees, the association also sells merchandise crafted by their own Deaf Craft Team and provides sign language courses for the public.
These are just some of the inspirational merchants who are making efforts to support different communities in Malaysia, but there are many more who also need our support during these challenging times. If you’re interested in learning about, and supporting, more local businesses that empower similar communities, here are other social enterprise businesses that you can check out on GrabFood:
Deaf-in-Business Restaurant, Damansara Perdana, Petaling Jaya.
A social enterprise and non-profit, the restaurant provides skills training to the deaf community through employment and aims to highlight the community as an equal contributor.
FoodBike, Shah Alam.
A social enterprise that provides entrepreneurship opportunities to those who are underprivileged. They currently have a mobile cafe business operated by the deaf and also provide in-house training and programs to equip individuals with the skills to run their own mobile hawker stall.
Vegan Delights Ipoh, Perak.
A fully vegan cafe which is staffed by people who are deaf and/or mute and is designed to provide employment for individuals who may otherwise struggle to find work.
Just Bake, Setia Alam.
Founded by Jimmy and Jasmine, a hearing-impaired couple with a love for baking, started Just Bake from their passion for baked goods. The bakery also employs staff of different abilities.
Grab is committed to leaving no one behind in this digital era. Over the years it has designed and continues to build an inclusive platform that makes economic participation easier for members of the community, including persons with disabilities. Through various programmes, Grab hopes to create greater inclusivity and equality in Southeast Asia.