Youth Creating Jobs for Kenyan Workers in Dubai

By Mbungu Harrison

Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com

Suleiman Ali went to Qatar as a security guard, but after some years in the Gulf nation, he transitioned into a coffee barista, and now as a professional trainer creates employment opportunities for many people.

Ali, 32, is a trained coffee barista and has started a training college called Barista Training Center which has so far churned out over 600 fully qualified trainees.

A barista is a person, usually a coffeehouse employee, who prepares and serves espresso-based coffee drinks and other beverages.

Ali’s prowess has seen him train Asians, Britons, Kenyans, and people from many other countries.

“I left Kenya in 2016 to work as a security guard in Dubai, but in the course of my job, I was poached by another employee who gave me an opportunity to his restaurant to work as a coffee barrister, resigned and joined him, and that became my life changing move,” he says.

Talk’s Kitchen was the place that gave him the opportunity, which he says was life changing.

His passion for learning made him become one of the best, and he was later poached by another employer to work in Abu Dhabi.

Since he started training house girls, Ali says he has helped many move away from exploitative employers to new ones who have employed them as baristas, equipped with skills needed in big restaurants.

“I started engaging these girls in the gulf working as domestic workers, many started reaching out to me and they are now trained and employed, they left Kenya as cleaners or maids and now I gave them a dignified job as barristers. Barrister is highly demanding and well-paying,” he says.

“Due to my network I have built in Dubai, I connect them with big employers in Dubai, and they get employed and help their families, before my college was not registered but now, we have registered ourselves and are well recognized,” he added.

His second company employment gave him an opportunity to become a marketer. His return to Dubai was life changing since he managed to build a new network and acquire a global barista certification.

“Due to my discipline and passion, my new employer at that time told me to build my craft, and become a professional, my boss even gave me books that also helped me manage my training, I developed much love until I opened social media accounts to train other people,” said Ali.

After a series of transitions, he returned to Dubai in 2022, where he managed to meet many coffee lovers. He also joined a world-class training college where he acquired an ACA Barista certification that is recognized worldwide.

His trainees reach him through TikTok, where they connect for both online and physical classes at his college in Dubai. His passion for being a barista is earning him a living while at the same time creating jobs for others.

Ali, who is also working as a showroom manager for coffee-making equipment, has managed to train Kenyan ladies who go to the Gulf for domestic work. Some of them, after gaining knowledge, help secure employment through the connections he has built over time.

“My idea of starting a college and investing in my skill came when I was relieved off my duties from one of the employers, I then bought machines and started slowly to train students, since then I have managed to build big,” he narrates.

“I started training Asians, I invested in my skills, I was charging 1,200 dirham which is ksh 42,000, I then opened Tiktok account to connect with my clients, I opened a Tiktok account called expresso doctor, Youtube, espresso doctor and Sule-espresso on Instagram Account, I became a full-fledged trainer,” he said.

He is now a marketer of equipment and accessories with his new employer in Dubai, while also training students. He says his knowledge came from hard work, perseverance, and passion. He also participated in the UAE Barista Champions competition, where he managed to build a strong network.

“I was invited by Nairobi training institutions that saw me on Tiktok, they now want me to train their students, I am open to do so and continue giving skills to those who want it, and there are training schools that offer certificates, that’s important, “he said.

He says many Kenyan girls willing to learn the skill of being a barista have reached out to him.

Being Kenyan, he says he was perturbed by the mistreatment of Kenyan girls working as housemaids and decided to offer them a life-changing opportunity.

“Since I started training over 500 people I have trained, different nationalities, some from Turkey, Sri-Lanka Uganda Kenya, Britain and many more, what I can advise young people, they should improve themselves and look for skills that can help them,” he said.

Ali says his ability to create good coffee drinks has earned him many clients and made his employers value him as one of the best in his job.

The Mombasa-born youth is now encouraging young people to acquire skills that can earn them a living.

His hope is to connect with Kenyan universities and higher learning institutions where he can share his knowledge with students pursuing hospitality courses, especially in barista training.