Group of transgenders start 'Covai Trans Kitchen' In Coimbatore for dignified living

A group of transgenders in Coimbatore started their own business for a dignified living after their lives were adversely affected due to the Coronavirus induced lockdown. The group consisting of ten transwomen started an eatery called the 'Covai Trans Kitchen'. The 32-seater restaurant is on the Venkataswamy Road and was opened earlier this week. The eatery specializes in dum biryani, along with other dishes and snacks.

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'We plan to open another eatery'

Sangeetha, chief of Coimbatore Transgenders Association, said, "We plan to open another eatery. It's important that people of our community stop begging and become self-reliant."

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Covai Trans Kitchen is the third food outlet operated by the transgender community in Coimbatore that offers breakfast, lunch and dinner. Previously they operated two other food outlets in Ukkadam and Madukkarai which were eventually shut. The eatery run by the group of 10 transgenders falls in the age group of 18-60 years and their duties include preparing the food to managing the cash counter. This group works in shifts to meet the all-day-long rush.

The cooking and management skills of these transwomen were polished with the help and support of the Bishop Appasamy College’s hotel management department. The college provided a 20-day training for a group of 50 transgenders, where they were introduced to new recipes and basics of management and the set up the Covai Trans Kitchen. Some of them used to cook biryani at weddings earlier however lost their livelihood in the lockdown.

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