5 Deaf Friends Open a Successful Street Food Stall in Islamabad [Video]

A tale of strength, courage, and passion.

5 friends Speech & Hearing Impairment business fast-food

People with hearing and disability issues face a lot of hardships, not just in their studies but also when it comes to their careers. But certain brands are making sure that people with physical impediments are not left out.

Take Karachi. This city has already seen a drastic change in this regard with fast food brand KFC operating 9 completely deaf-run restaurants, with around 220 deaf employees.

Now, a group of 5 friends has ventured into the fast-food business, in hopes that it will empower others with hearing and speech impairment.

The beginning

Arsalan, Adnan, Shazal, Usman, and Harris are 5 friends who suffer from hearing loss. They were all born with a hearing disability. All of them became close friends because of their mutual love for cricket. After school, the group would go for matches organized by Islamabad Deaf Cricket Association (IDCA).

They came up with a business idea after their graduation. They were well aware of the fact that the government has little to no opportunities for people like themselves. Avoiding any future frustrations, these friends set up a food stall at the F-10 business center in Islamabad.

One of the five friends, Muhammad Arsalan did an interview with Independent Urdu. He said:

After much thought, we decided to start a fast food business. That’s how “36 Fast Food Mania” came into being.

Speaking in sign language, Arsalan said the friends are happy to be taking this step. This could be an amazing way for them to earn and take care of their families. The 5 friends hope to empower others with disabilities.

People are attracted to us because of our sign language feature because we take orders in sign language. People understand sign language and special people and it gives us a sense of equality.

Take a look at the full video here:

 

What do you think of this story? Let us know in the comments section.