Pizza Hut, Childfund & Social Services Dept. join hands to empower disabled people
Gamma Pizzakraft Lanka (Pvt) Ltd. presently the single franchisee for Pizza Hut and Taco Bell in Sri Lanka, has partnered with Childfund Sri Lanka and the Department of Social Services in Sri Lanka, to improve the economic engagement of youth with disabilities, especially girls with disabilities, in quality vocational training programmes in a safe and conducive environment.
This partnership has led to the inauguration of an industrial food technology unit and renovation of the accommodation facilities for girls with disabilities at the Vocational Training Centre, Amunukumbura, on the 11th of February 2021.
This mega-project is being executed under the concept of ‘An Equal Slice For Everyone’, which is the Social Purpose of Pizza Hut International. The iconicbrand is committed to equity, opportunity and unity taking a locally led yet globally connected approach, with a clear-cut focus on its people, customers and communities.
Pizza Hut focuses on caring for all who are part of its journey – the people who work for the business, the customers who patronise the brand and the communities within which it prospers. This project promotes the spirit of togetherness and creates a bigger vision of being much more than just a food and beverage brand.
To contribute to this collective vision, Childfund Sri Lanka has enrolled girls with disabilities and has widened the streams available for training and quality of teaching. The Department of Social Service intends to make the Persons with Disability (PWD) community, active stakeholders,by unlocking their fullest potential to aid national economic development.
Pizza Hut Sri Lanka has established an industrial food technology unit at the vocational centre with a state-ofthe-art kitchen consisting of the latest equipment, with the prime objective of providing these individuals a comprehensive curriculum, ranging from food and beverage, hygiene & food safety standards to proficiency in English.
This would be a 2-year programme where they would be trained under the leadership and guidance of skilled trainers and the staff of Pizza Hut. Upon the successful completion of the 2-year course at this food technology unit, graduates will be employed within the Pizza Hut chain or with other socially responsible entities in the country, with whom discussions have already been initiated.