Malik loves food. The Iraqi refugee has spent much of his professional life sharing the joy of cooking with others, having worked as a chef for nearly 20 years.
As a refugee, he has struggled to find a job in the United States. But now, Malik can proudly continue to follow his dream of cooking and supporting his family thanks to a microloan through ACCESS Growth Center’s Microenterprise Development Program.
In January, the program awarded Malik its first microloan to remodel and renovate an existing retail building located on Warren Avenue in Detroit with a professional restaurant and kitchen equipment. The restaurant will serve a mix of Middle Eastern cuisine from across that region, in addition to baked goods and handmade sweets.
Malik’s Restaurant & Pastry Shop, located at 16840 Warren Ave., is expected to open in February.
Malik said he is grateful for ACCESS’ assistance.
“I need to work to be happy,” he said. “We are very happy here. We like the people and we feel safer compared to Iraq; there is much less stress.”
After fearing for his family’s safety, Malik immigrated to the United States in 2012. Seeking a fresh start, he pursued work in metro Detroit. Despite his experience as a trained chef in Cyprus, Malik could not find long-term employment, and had no idea how to pursue his passion for baking and cooking.
Months of searching led Malik to ACCESS’ Employment and Training Department. After a few visits, Malik found the help he needed through ACCESS Growth Center’s Immigrant Entrepreneur Development Program, which aims to help aspiring entrepreneurs and small-business leaders expand their businesses to better serve their communities. Staff members worked diligently with Malik to help him follow his dream of working for himself.
Malik attended three training sessions weekly beginning in July 2013, learning how to successfully run business operations. Staff members helped him by scouting locations for his new restaurant and bakery, and connecting him with Patronicity, a crowd-funding online website that allowed him to solicit donations for his business.
Hassan Bazzi, program coordinator for the Microenterprise Development Program, said he was pleased to approve Malik's loan application and is eagerly awaiting the opening of the restaurant.
“Historically, immigrant entrepreneurs have been the wheels that turn the engine of business innovation and the backbone of economic development in this country,” Bazzi said.
“There are many refugees who are operating their own business and are a step away from growing that business. There are others who have always dreamed of opening their own business, however they may not qualify or survive the scrutiny of traditional banking loan underwriting,” he continued.
The Microenterprise Development Program is a limited time program that helps refugees and asylees within their first five years in the United States start or grow an existing business and become financially independent. The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Refugee Resettlement and will provide 21 loans this year averaging $4,000 each to qualified candidates.
In addition, the program provides essential services including: business technical assistance or short-term training in the fields of business plan development, management, bookkeeping and marketing.
Unlike traditional loans, where the borrower is left to navigate complicated legal language, Bazzi said the Microenterprise Development Program works closely with the borrower pre-loan and post-loan closing to provide support, training and technical assistance to ensure the borrower and business are successful.
For more information on ACCESS Growth Center’s Microenterprise Development Program, call 313-945-8147, or email hbazzi@accesscommunity.org.
