Lilyma Khan is the head chef(厨师长) at Dear Donna in New Delhi. When she was around 3years old, she'd watch her father cook for the whole neighborhood. But at the age of 5, she lost her father, and then her mother.
She lived on the streets until she was saved by an NGO (Non-governmental Organization) at the age of 11. It was here that she received an education for the first time. However, her aunt called her home when she was13, and made her work at a shoe factory. She lost the chance to go to school. Luckily, another NGO helped her out.
One day, Annand Kapoor, who runs an organization that provides skills training to young adults, visited Lilyma's NGO. He asked the people there all about their aspirations. Lilyma said she wanted to become a chef. Then she was given a chance to work at an Italian restaurant.
Chef Sadeev Pasricha, who has trained Lilyma, has known her for eight years. He said, "She amazes me with everything that she does. She works well under pressure. She is a quick learner and works very hard, for almost 12 hours a day. "
Today, Lilyma leads a team of 35 people at Dear Donna and has her own house. "It's very easy to take a wrong turn and meet with many difficulties. We should have courage(勇气) to move forward in life. From being hungry all the time I am now able to feed many. You can also achieve your dreams," said Lilyma.
