Second Helpings graduates 149th class

INDIANAPOLIS — For seven weeks, Valery Ndakize has been preparing to get his food service career started.

Second Helpings graduated its 149th class Friday — a class of one.

The group helps unemployed and underemployed Central Indiana adults learn skills, like cooking techniques and preparations, to succeed in food service careers.

Ndakize, known as Val, is originally from Congo. His family sought refuge in Rwanda because of the war. Val moved to the United States in 2014.

“Even now there is genocide going on where I come from, people being killed every day,” Ndakize said.

People who know him call him Val.

“I love Val. Val's been one of my best students,” Keith Brooks, Second Helpings Instructor, said.

“When I come here, I say I want to go back to school you know but it wasn't easy because you know my English is not good,” Val said. “Second Helpings, it's a blessing,”

Val has a passion for cooking and the culinary program at Second Helpings is feeding it.

Second Helpings creates millions of meals using rescued food, teaching people like Val along the way.

“He said it from kind of day one I'm going to do this and I'm going to get through this program,” Kyle Burnett, one of Val’s instructors, said.

Kyle Burnett and Keith Brooks are instructors Second Helpings

“I know that he's gotten extended vision and a dream that he's going to pursue in addition to his cooking so he's on the right path,” Brooks said.

“After graduate my plan is to get a job and get more experience learn culture and after that maybe when I have enough experience can think about opening my own restaurant,” Val said.

Through the program, Ndakize got to feed his passion for cooking. He tells WRTV that one day, he may think of opening his own restaurant.

All of us at WRTV want to wish Val luck in his future career.