Analisha Britto

January 20, 2010

Analisha Britto wearing a chef's uniform Analisha Britto came to Goodwill® West Indies at the age of 15 with low self esteem and little confidence.  This shy young woman, who has autism, was interested in learning to be a cook. Her family didn’t believe that she was capable of becoming employed.

At Goodwill, Analisha quickly excelled in making a variety of pastries.  She began to make sweet bread, black forest cake and other desserts, and as she learned more from her instructors, she grew more confident. As her skills advanced, she also received on-the-job training at a local bakery, and then became a full-time, permanent pastry assistant at the Cascadia Hotel, one of the premier hotels in the Trinidad & Tobago capital city, Port of Spain.

Analisha and two fellow chefs with their arms around one another

Before Analisha came to Goodwill, she was completely reliant on her family for support. But through her dedicated efforts and training, she now is independently employed,  with full medical benefits, and is even in the position to now help support her family.  Her self esteem and confidence are on the rise, and she is no longer afraid of making decisions or going out.

Analisha returns to Goodwill twice a month to teach what she has learned to new Goodwill participants. In her short time in this role, Analisha has already prepared another young woman to move on to independent employment.