Project Dignity

6th Oct

Today interview several candidates -

- the lady of leisure (tai tai ) who just want to experience the life as a hawker

- the bus driver assistance

- the schizophrenic man

- the leprosy lady

and several unemployed elderly.

The mistake I made that day was agreeing to take the leprosy lady. She called a week after the advertisement and arranged an interview today. She was sitting on the table when we were talking. I handed her the appilication form but nothing happen. Fifteen minutes into the interview, she search for a pen in her handbag and start filling in the application. I then noticed the condition of her hands. One finger were missing and the rest of the fingers were bend inwards. She still able to hold the pen and write. There was a silence as she felt my discomfort. "What disability?" in Cantonese. "Mild leprosy, very mild" she replied.

When I started this school I want to help all disabilities. I have come to realized later when I meet with people from the government agency that some disabilities may not be able to get the hawker license. I turn away people with skin problem, wheel chair bound with urine bag and later on ex-prisoner who commit child abuse crime.

Recruited two trainees which will start in November.

Still no telephone call from Ms Single Mother and the Blind Boy. Stall 2 is still not operational.

Project Dignity

Tues 5th

Project Dignity is unique and in setting up the Dignity Kitchen (the branding), there is no reference point.

For Dignity Kitchen, there are three operating model for the start up of the food stalls

• Model One is to recruit a good hawker and employed him permanently, attached to a stall and let him manage it. The students will be attached to the food stall and learn. The problem is where to find a hawker who can cook, teach and manage the stalls at the same time. The good hawker will be managing their own food stall business, why do they want to come to train others. Even if I can find them, they will not be cheap. Serious I spend the month of September and October, exploring this model. I even went to Johor to interview potential hawker-teacher.
• Model Two is to recruit the students and get part time restaurant chef to come and train them. The students need to have some cooking background and we provide all the facilities for them to learn. My timing was wrong for this model. With the starting up of the Integrated Resort, restaurant chef is in demand and coming to work part time for Dignity Kitchen was difficult. (I should know I have very good network of chef in Singapore)
• Model Three is to find company that manufacture the food product on a commercial basis and then purchase the ready-to-sell product to sell at the stalls. The company will provide the food and the expertise to set up the stalls and in return we help the company to promote their product.

We starts off with business model three and I know will end with a hydrid of the three business models.

Stall 1 is sells Ngoh Hiong - traditional deep fried foodstuff. Mr. Polio and Mr. Ex-Con started work on time and spend the day cleaning the equipment. Their first instruction is "I want Changi Prison Kitchen standard."

No matter how much of planning you do for your starting up there will still missed out on a few items. We missed out the bowls, the chopsticks and plates required. These utensils are not cheap.

The first batch of deep fried Ngoh Hiong was surprising not too bad.

Project Dignity

4th Oct Monday

Electrical was incomplete. Loose cable and lights not working. Though the equipment are in place, the facilities are not ready. No plumbing, no lights and no student. Got some kitchen equipment for the kitchen and realised that the electrical source is single phase power source. Why did I not think of this. This is the start of the first working day.

Mr. Polio is the first student and he actually came a day earlier to check out the route to the school. He used to work in the kitchen of a restaurant chain but was retrenched due to his disability and old age. He has a walking disability and has problem standing for long hours. I actually did discouraged from training to be a hawker. In the first day he fell down five times. His hip will lock up and he will bend ninety degree forward. Then came Mr. Ex-Con, looking for work. The next two students - Ms Single Mother and The Blind Boy will start tomorrow.

It is good to be trained as an engineering fitters, the skills come in useful when you really cannot find a plumber or an electrician and/or trying to keep your cost down. Do-it-yourself approach. The day was spend DIY job.

Time 1930 hrs

I always believe with no matter how much planning you do, something will still go wrong with any startup.

Just got a call from the blind boy's mom telling me they are still in KL, want a longer holiday and want to start in a few days. Where do we find the replacement?