Transsexual entrepreneurs have appetite for success - Times of India

Transsexual entrepreneurs have appetite for success - Times of India
By: Transsexual Posted On: September 02, 2020 View: 881

Transsexual entrepreneurs have appetite for success - Times of India

Coimbatore: Until a few months ago, Sobiya and Sangeetha were seeking alms on city roads. They thought begging was better than prostitution, says the transwomen, who are busy setting up Covai Trans Kitchen on the Venkataswamy Road.
The 32-seater restaurant will be run by 10 transsexuals aged between 18 and 60 years, who will handle cooking, taking orders, serving and billing, among others.
They were part of a team of 50 transgenders that underwent a 20-day training programme at Bishop Appasamy College’s Hotel Management department. “While we initially could cook only biryani, we were taught to make chicken side dishes, parotta, variety rice dishes and bakery products, so that we can run a full-fledged hotel,” says Rakshitha, an employee. “They also taught us how to manage a restaurant and get license certificate from the food safety department.”
Covai Trans Kitchen will be the third food outlet in Coimbatore to be operated by transgenders, with the first two being at Ukkadam and Madukkarai.
While the other two restaurants, which mainly served biryani, were closed due to lack of patronage, the new restaurant will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. It will be primarily south Indian, with vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. The dinner menu will have some Indo-Chinese and north Indian dishes.
The restaurant is expected to open for business by the end of this week. “We will keep providing financial, technical and marketing support,” says Priya Babu, regional coordinator for NGO Swati Health Catalyst.
Depending on the success of the new venture, the Coimbatore District transgenders Association plans to open another outlet in Race Course and a mobile food truck. “They will probably be run by the next batch of transgenders,” says Jeyaganesh, state lead for the NGO, who arranged funds to set up the restaurant.
While training was funded by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, which provided Rs 2.44 lakh, NGO United Way Chennai pitched in with Rs 7.75 lakh to set up the restaurant.

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