Sometimes the abilities we do not value the most are the ones that end up saving us. When 25 women found themselves in need for financial support, they found a decent job using skills they acquired at home. Relying on their vivid energy, they enrolled in a program to work in a profession many women have excelled in. These young women, who are either divorced or widowed, refused to be pessimistic and decided to learn how to be professional cooks.

Day after day the aspiring chefs started learning new skills and artistic approaches to cooking, hoping to be able to open their small private projects. Full of passion and hope, these young women aspire to compete with restaurants by offering special meals at reasonable prices.

These women were chosen based on a scientific approach by Iktifa charity association after the group did a field research in 37 neighborhoods in Jeddah. Arab News met some of these women who were excited to share their stories.

Samira, a trainee who is widowed and must now support her children, said that she found the training program very helpful, thanking the charity association for all the efforts to teach them the basics of starting their private businesses.

She stressed that the association also provided them with talented and experienced trainers. “They taught us how to cook with a sense of art, which is the opposite of what we have been taught throughout the years from friends, parents and even in online forums,” said Samira, adding that the transportation fees provided by the institution helped make the daily trip easier.

Sana Al-Jaeili, chief of the public relations department at the association, said that the association will offer these women with the technical support and the needed consultation to be able to enter the market. “The women will receive training programs that will help them enhance their performance,” Al-Jaeili said, adding that a local company is helping provide these ladies with support to boost their business.

Trainee Aisha comes from a poor family and says she is extremely happy to have enrolled in this program. While she enjoys cooking, she says she never learned the correct way. “The trainers corrected some of the false notions we had. I am hoping to get a loan and open a new cooking project,” she said.

For another trainee, Amira, these courses were a dream come true as she was always looking to learn the right way of cooking. “I will try to secure a loan for my project ... I want to launch my own shop dealing with sweets, pastries and all kinds of stuffings,” she said.

Umm Usama, a divorced woman with a child, explained that one of the main skills she learned was related to making vine leaves and “kushari.”

Haniya Abdullah, who is married and benefits from the social security program, said she enrolled in this project through the Social Affairs Ministry. “I didn’t hesitate to be a part of this program, and now I am looking forward to new courses in the art of cooking,” she added.