In a quiet corner of Kothamangalam, Cafe Wings spreads a loud message of resilience and independence through a delectable medium: yummy food.
Run by six friends who use wheelchairs, the cafe has become a popular hangout — not only for its warm hospitality, but also for the inspiring story behind it.
These friends come from different walks of life, each with a journey shaped by adversity. Bose George (33) sustained a spinal cord injury in a car accident, while Basil Paul (33) and Sajeev K K (43) were injured in separate workplace accidents. Dr Korah George (50) and Ajesh Avarachan (34) live with progressive muscle weakness, and Eldhose K T (55) began using a wheelchair after a fall from a tree.
Their friendship took root at a support gathering organised by Mor Julios Elias, Metropolitan of the Jacobite Church (Adimali and Kothamangalam). “Every year, he organises meets for people with spinal cord injuries. That’s where the six of us met for the first time,” Bose says.
The idea for the cafe, he adds, came from Korah. “Our first reaction was doubt. We kept asking ourselves, ‘How will we manage a cafe?’” Bose recalls.
Instead of letting those apprehensions hold them back, the friends chose to take a leap of faith. And the name ‘Cafe Wings’ came to reflect a powerful idea — that wheelchair users, too, can take flight.
For them, the venture goes beyond business. “It wasn’t about making money,” Bose explains. “We started this to come out of the darkness we experienced due to our conditions. Now, through this cafe, we want to show that physical limitations need not curb our dreams.”
The cafe has also changed how people see them. Where they once got sympathetic glances, they are now recognised as confident entrepreneurs.
To avoid physical strain, the six friends manage the cafe in four-hour shifts. While they are actively involved in serving customers and overseeing operations, the kitchen is supported by staff, along with help from the family of one of the partners.
Besides routine cafe fare and ice creams, faves in the menu include items such as burgers, momos, and ‘kozhi pidi’. “Though there are no immediate expansion plans, we hope to take Cafe Wings to other cities someday,” Bose adds.
The group also leads community initiatives like ‘Wings on Wheels’ — support gatherings that reinforce their belief that meaningful ideas, like good food, are best when shared.
In Bose’s words, Cafe Wings, leaves a simple but powerful thought: “Physical challenges can arise at any time. What matters is overcoming mental barriers and keep chasing our dreams.”