Lavazza, Italy’s top coffee company, in association with Save the Children, organized a hands-on Barista training programme for 15 marginalized youngsters in Kolkata, between the 10^th and 14^th February 2020. This 5-day session was run by Lavazza India’s Head Trainer, Abdul Sahid Khan, whose intention was to teach the members with potent coffee ideas and give the chance to be the best Baristas.

The collaboration has been enabling the needy adolescents and young adults for three years in Kolkata to get employment in the hospitality sector by joining a specific training. The aim is to encourage them with a positive approach for life by offering them with a safer future. The workshop was ackknowledged to improve skills and develop their skills to work as coffee specialists certified by Lavazza. Till this year, the company has trained a total of 45 Baristas in this programme.

 “A Cup of Learning” is the Lavazza worldwide coffee training programme recognized with the direct contribution of Lavazza’s training experts, focused on recipients from society’s most deprived groups looking for new opportunities in the coffee market. in 2017, the first training class was held in India, arranged in association with Save the Children. Now there are various training courses, benefiting above 120 individuals in 8 countries, Besides India: Italy, Brazil, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Ecuador, Albania and United Kingdom etc.

In Kolkata the training successfully done on the following:

• Fundamentals of Espresso preparation technique
• Introduction to brewing variables
• Principles of cleaning and maintaining espresso equipment
• Presentation and preparation techniques, and awareness around the latest coffee trends
• Modules on milk texturing & Latte Art were conducted along with demonstration of different milk-based Coffee recipes specially handcrafted by Lavazza

“We are partnering with Save the Children for more than fifteen years now. Together, we are opening new doors for vulnerable children and adolescents across the globe, and this project in Kolkata is one of significance to us. Lavazza as a brand stands to support youth in ways and means that would help them obtain employment. It is important to see the enthusiasm with which the participants have imbibed the sessions during the training, their eagerness to grow and develop their skills; this further encourage us to give and to involve more and more people”, said Mario Cerutti, Chief Institutional Relations and Sustainability Officer of the Lavazza Group.

The workshop was finished up with a theory and practical-based exam that evaluated their learnings from the session and was evaluated by an external examiner.

Lavazza keeps on reinforcing its association with Save the Children and has been working in partnership with the NGO for more than fifteen years today. Previously, this partnership has worked on effective projects that helped battle child mortality through prevention and treatment of malnourishment. Furthermore, they have also successfully reached out to teenagers who live in unhealthy urban areas to give training and next follow-up employment support.