Sign Language And Food Makes For Quite A Combo
Sign language is such an intricate way of speaking, it literally melts your heart. What if there was a way you can order food using sign language while helping out people who deserve inclusion?
Well, what we eat reveals so much about who we are, what we enjoy, and what we value. It’s always more than just the food itself, but also the experiences and conversations that tag along. Not too far from the F-6 Super Market, a beautiful conversation is taking place not through words, rather through signs. This is the story of Abey Khao, a food truck startup that is owned and operated by members of the deaf community.
Enter into a world where your voice no longer holds any weight, but rather sign language does
Abey Khao is where the menu is carefully numbered, and where the sign language labeled on the truck’s body is your only tool. Language and conversations do not cease to be in these interactions – far from it.
Sign language is amplified by inviting people to be more fully present in these seemingly arbitrary moments; when placing our order, when saying thank you. Language isn’t just the spoken word, rather the multitude of ways we communicate with one another, our facial expressions often capturing the most depth.
Where did the idea of Abey Khao and Sign Language actually originate from?
Sheikh Faizan started Abey Khao as a platform to bridge the communication gap of sign language and create more employment opportunities for the deaf community. Faizan recalls the story of his father who is deaf but owned a tailoring business.
It was because his father was able to manage and sustain his own business that gave Faizan a sense of empowerment. He has since then gathered his family recipes and united them to launch his platform to support and empower others like him.
He currently employs a team of 15 individuals who use sign language and continues his plans to expand into the wonderful capital. Abay Khao is a wonderful reminder of how rich and resilient our people can be and the possibilities that exist for people regardless of their background.
Order from your classic zinger burgers to some interesting hot dogs and loaded fries using simple and fun sign language. This is a fast-food joint that takes itself very seriously. It does, however, manage to steer clear of Islamabad’s tendency to inflate everything from the air you breathe. Their masala garlic fries and their chicken zinger burger is a lovely fusion of homemade but also quick and convenient. Reasonably priced and irresistibly delicious.
