{"id":265510,"date":"2025-05-31T15:08:58","date_gmt":"2025-05-31T15:08:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/adventure\/manos-unidas-the-cafe-with-a-cause\/"},"modified":"2025-05-31T15:08:58","modified_gmt":"2025-05-31T15:08:58","slug":"manos-unidas-the-cafe-with-a-cause","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=265510","title":{"rendered":"Manos Unidas: The Cafe With A Cause"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n<\/p>\n

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Tucked away down a narrow laneway, just a few minutes from Cusco\u2019s main square, is one of the most important caf\u00e9s in Peru<\/a>. It doesn\u2019t have Michelin stars, an extensive wine list, or a celebrity owner. But it\u2019s got some of the happiest staff in the country.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Why are the staff so happy? Because they\u2019ve been given an opportunity to work that they had struggled to find elsewhere. The staff at Manos Unidas Caf\u00e9 all have an intellectual disability.<\/p>\n

Unemployment for adults with disabilities in Cusco is high \u2013 around 98%. Many haven\u2019t received a proper education, and certainly not any sort of vocational training. Even those with skills are generally overlooked, and if they are<\/em> employed, workplaces in the city rarely have fully accessible facilities. And in some parts of Peru, people living with disabilities are completely isolated from society \u2013 they are seen as suffering some sort of divine punishment.<\/p>\n

\"A\"AEnter Manos Unidas Caf\u00e9<\/a>. Co-founder Celeste Marion has been in the education sector since 1999, primarily working with kids who have special needs. Seeing how these kids were treated by their peers \u2013 discriminated against, seen as less capable, even being thought of as burdens \u2013 she realised that change was desperately needed. She could be a voice for those who weren\u2019t being heard.<\/p>\n

After receiving funding from The Intrepid Foundation, Intrepid\u2019s not-for-profit arm, Manos Unidas opened its doors as both a caf\u00e9 and a job training site for youth with special needs. In a work environment that\u2019s safe and inclusive, trainees are given the opportunity to learn hospitality skills, like taking orders, making coffee, and helping in the kitchen.<\/p>\n

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE INTREPID FOUNDATION HERE\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

\"A\"A<\/p>\n

For many Intrepid travellers, a visit to the caf\u00e9 is a highlight of their Peruvian adventures. The food itself always gets the thumbs up from hungry visitors \u2013 taking elements of Peruvian cuisine and giving them a more modern twist, like alpaca burgers, anticucho (skewers), and guacamole and flatbreads. But it\u2019s the experience of being in the caf\u00e9 \u2013 in such a warm, inviting space \u2013 that leaves such a lasting memory.<\/p>\n

\u2018The energy you get from the staff is what stands out,\u2019 say Liam Neal, who visited the caf\u00e9 after trekking Peru\u2019s relatively unknown Choquequirao Trail. \u2018It\u2019s not like walking into some of the other restaurants around here, where you\u2019re seated and then ignored. There\u2019s no stuffiness either. Everyone here is so open and friendly.\u2019<\/p>\n

EXPLORE OUR FULL RANGE OF SMALL GROUP ADVENTURES IN PERU HERE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

\"A\"A<\/p>\n

Liam recalls the empathy and professionalism of caf\u00e9 manager, Julio Hernandez. Just after they had arrived at the caf\u00e9, a waiter was taking their food order but was struggling to jot it down due to having a shaky hand. Julio leaned over behind him, very naturally, to help him keep steady. \u2018The way Julio mentors and nurtures the staff was such a beautiful thing to see. He really understands them and their abilities so well.\u2019<\/p>\n

Julio\u2019s vision for the caf\u00e9 isn\u2019t for it to be seen as a charitable venture. He\u2019s driven to make sure it competes with some of Cusco\u2019s high quality restaurants, and that it\u2019s seen as a standalone establishment. The service is warm, the staff are friendly, and the food is delicious.<\/p>\n

Manos Unidas is so much more than a caf\u00e9. It\u2019s a place where the community can come together, to rethink their misconceptions, and for people living with disabilities to be valued \u2013 and to be paid for their skills. But ultimately, it\u2019s a place where the focus is on people\u2019s abilities.<\/p>\n

\"A\"A\u2018Manos Unidas is an incredible public platform where we can demonstrate just how we can change perceptions and improve the lives of people with disabilities in Peru,\u2019 Celeste says.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s working too. Along with welcoming guests from a number of Intrepid\u2019s Peru small group adventures, nearby hotels, restaurants and cafes are employing Manos Unidas trainees.<\/p>\n

By the end of the afternoon, after Liam and his group had had their fill of corn-infused iced tea, rainbow-coloured salads and alpaca burgers, all the staff in the caf\u00e9 came out to say goodbye.<\/p>\n

\u2018It felt like we were all best friends!\u2019 Liam says. \u2018Everyone wanted to high five, give us hugs, have their photos taken with us. It was such a special way to end the day.\u2019<\/p>\n

Find out more about the work The Intrepid Foundation is doing with Manos Unidas here<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 or pop in for lunch on one of these Intrepid small group adventures in Peru<\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Feature image by Ryan Bolton. All other images by Liam Neal.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Tucked away down a narrow laneway, just a few minutes from Cusco\u2019s main square, is one of the most important caf\u00e9s in Peru. It doesn\u2019t have Michelin stars, an extensive wine list, or a celebrity owner. But it\u2019s got some of the happiest staff in the country.\u00a0 Why are the staff so happy? Because they\u2019ve […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":265511,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11760],"tags":[4039,95050,95051],"dealstore":[],"offerexpiration":[],"class_list":["post-265510","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-adventure","tag-cafe","tag-manos","tag-unidas"],"yoast_head":"\nManos Unidas: The Cafe With A Cause - Som2ny Network<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=265510\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Manos Unidas: The Cafe With A Cause - Som2ny Network\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Tucked away down a narrow laneway, just a few minutes from Cusco\u2019s main square, is one of the most important caf\u00e9s in Peru. 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