talabat and British Council Qatar Empower 150 Riders Through English and Soft Skills Training

Collaboration reinforces talabat’s commitment to supporting riders with practical tools for daily interactions

Doha, Qatar – 14  December 2025: talabat, the leading on-demand delivery platform in the MENA region, has partnered with British Council Qatar to deliver a series of soft skills and foundational English Communication trainings designed to support riders with practical tools that help build confidence, strengthen communication, and enhance their overall work experience.

Hosted at talabat’s headquarters, over four engaging sessions equipped 150+ riders with essential language tools and practical communication skills built around real delivery scenarios.

Francisco Miguel de Sousa, Managing Director at talabat Qatar, said: ‘At talabat, investing in people’s growth is what we do. This partnership with the British Council allows us to support riders with skills that contribute to their confidence, safety, and daily experience on the road. Their commitment to learning and growth inspires us every day, and we look forward to continuing initiatives that empower them personally and professionally.’

Dr. Waseem Kotoub, Country Director, British Council Qatar, commented: ‘This collaboration reflects our unwavering commitment to empowering individuals with essential skills that transform lives. By supporting riders in their literacy journey, we are not only enhancing communication but also opening doors to greater opportunities, personal growth and community engagement. At the British Council, we believe that education is the cornerstone of progress, and partnerships like this bring that vision to life.’

The collaboration brought together British Council trainers who tailored the content to real life use cases riders encounter throughout their shifts. The training included confidence building exercises to help riders feel more prepared during peak hours and high-pressure moments. Each session emphasised practical communication, focusing on vocabulary commonly used in delivery settings, how to navigate conversations with customers and how to respond calmly and clearly to unexpected situations. The sessions were designed to be hands-on, relevant and accessible.

British Council trainers Michelle Wandrag, Aneesha Kooshkaki and Kashmir Singh Sajwan facilitated the sessions and shared: ‘Collaborating with talabat on rider training allowed us to turn real delivery scenarios into practical language and soft skills tools. The riders’ openness and commitment stood out, and we’re confident these skills will support safer, clearer, and more positive interactions with customers and vendors.’

This initiative forms part of talabat’s broader effort to invest in rider development, safety and wellbeing. For the British Council, the programme reinforces its role as a global leader in English language learning, vocational skills development and inclusive education, providing individuals with the abilities they need to thrive in a changing world.

Both organisations intend to explore future opportunities to scale this model, ensuring more riders in Qatar benefit from similar development programmes.

Customers can download the talabat app via the IOS App Store, Google Play Store, or Huawei App Gallery.

About talabat

talabat is the leading on-demand delivery platform in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), offering customers a convenient way to order food, groceries, and other everyday essentials. Founded in 2004 in Kuwait, talabat today operates in the UAE, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, Iraq, and Egypt, serving more than 6.5 million active customers. Headquartered in Dubai, talabat completed its initial public offering on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) in December 2024. As a subsidiary of Delivery Hero SE, talabat leverages global expertise to drive innovation, expand its product offerings, and strengthen its market presence across the region.

About the British Council

The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide. We do this through our work in arts and culture, education and the English language. We work with people in over 200 countries and territories and are on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2024–25 we reached 599 million people. 

For media enquiries please contact:

talabat - Lana Mahmoud, Senior Manager Communications, Public Affairs & Sustainability

Email: lana.mahmoud@talabat.com 

British Council - Stella Wekesa, Regional Senior Communication Manager, MENA

Email: stella.wekesa@britishcouncil.org