Inclusive café in Nicosia: people with autism will become employees

An inclusive café, The Blue Heart Café, is preparing to open in Nicosia, where people with autism will work. This is the first social enterprise of its kind in Cyprus: it will offer employment to 10 people with developmental differences, and five young people with autism have already become shareholders of the company. The project was initiated by the NGO Voice for Autism, and the opening is scheduled for early next year.

The idea of the café is to combine entrepreneurship with a social mission and create a space where employees receive support and training, and guests enjoy a warm atmosphere and respect. Before the launch, eight future employees completed professional training.

The project became possible thanks to the support of the Andrey and Yulia Dashin Foundation, which acted as the main sponsor, as well as other partners and the Department of Social Integration of Persons with Disabilities of the Ministry of Social Welfare. The department provided grants to five young people with autism to invest in the business and helped organize training programs. The organizers emphasize that the goal of Blue Heart is not only to create jobs but also to change society’s attitude toward autism and inclusion in general.