The award is almost sweeter than the brownies they serve. Cape Town cafe Brownies & Downies has won the 2017 SAB Foundation's Disability Empowerment award.
"We are very excited. The day after we won it was hard to stay focused," said manager Wade Schultz. "All the trainees and everyone were dancing and cheering in the store."
The R1-million award is given to businesses that come up with the most innovative ways of improving employment access for disabled people.
The first of its kind in South Africa, Brownies & Downies trains people with intellectual disabilities so that they can find employment. Since opening last year the organisation has placed seven young adults in jobs.
"Wade and I thought we would get maybe third or second [place]; we definitely did not think we would win first [prize]," said founder and head social worker Wendy Vermeulen.
Schultz and Vermeulen are enthusiastic about the possibility of opening a second branch in the city centre or in the northern suburbs.
"Because of this award we can continue our dream and help more and more people get a job," said Vermeulen. "We hope to go national someday."
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