KUNMING, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- Duoduo, a 24-year-old man with autism, was unable to bear the hustle and bustle of city living for a long time. Even the slightest chatter would make him restless.
Today, he has not only gotten used to many urban sounds -- he has also become a barista, mastering latte art through training offered by the Chuxing Cafe in the city of Kunming, the capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province.
The cafe, which is owned and managed by Fu Xin, is also a workplace for people who have been diagnosed with autism, including Duoduo.
"The cafe is a window to understanding and acceptance," Fu said. "When the staff members communicate with customers, whether through language or gestures, communication between hearts becomes a reality."
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by varying degrees of impairment in communication skills and social interactions. Children with autism are sometimes called "children of the stars" in China, as society often perceives them as lonely and they can exhibit unconventional emotional reactions, language abilities or social skills.
A report on autism education showed that in 2019, there were more than 10 million people with an autism spectrum disorder in China, among whom about 2 million were children aged under 12.
Diagnosed with autism when he was little, Duoduo experienced difficulty with language during his early years.
Li Aiping, his mother, worried about his future and tried to find work for him to do, but she encountered obstacles. "If Duoduo kept staying at home, his condition would only get worse," Li said.
An employment notice she saw in 2021 gave her hope: Chuxing Cafe was offering free training and job opportunities for people with autism. Feeling nervous yet hopeful, Li took her son to the cafe.
At first, Duoduo detested the steam sound of the coffee machine and was visibly nervous every time he started it up. But with the support of his mother and Fu, he adapted to the sound and fell in love with making coffee.
Duoduo is now a coffee master. With gentle flicks of his wrist, he creates a "Z" shape on the surface of the coffee with milk foam, eventually forming a heart shape.
After finishing the latte art, he serves the steaming coffee to his customer and returns to the workbench to wipe away any stains.
Some of the cafe's regulars say they are moved that the cafe holds the dreams of the "children of the stars," according to Fu.
Fu's idea for the cafe stemmed from an encounter years ago, when she met a child who had been diagnosed with severe autism and saw the possibility of social improvement through their interaction.
She opened the Chuxing Cafe in 2021, starting her own business and lending a hand to the autism community.
Since 2021, the cafe has trained over 50 apprentices, ranging in age from 18 to 37, the majority of whom have autism. Currently, 13 have completed their training and gone to other branches of the cafe to make coffee, bake and engage in other cafe work.
Fu said that the majority of the cafe's customers are regulars. Besides enjoying their coffee, they also teach the staff skills like painting, English and basketball in their spare time.
Currently, Duoduo has a busy schedule -- making coffee in the morning and learning new skills in the afternoon. "Although Duoduo is inarticulate, he is action-oriented," Fu said. Seeing the changes in Duoduo, other parents have become hopeful and started exploring their own children's talents.
The cafe is also a haven for parents of children with autism. "Parents also need social interaction. When we participate in activities with our children and other parents, we can communicate and support one another while taking care of the children," said the mother of Ziyao, who has been diagnosed with autism.
In other Chinese cities, cafes specifically designed for people with autism are emerging. More and more people in charge of communities and special schools are visiting the Chuxing Cafe, hoping to apply the model in various other locations and expand it to more fields, thereby helping more children with special needs integrate into society.
A growing number of support organizations are also being set up by parents of children with autism. These organizations offer information and counseling, as well as training and job-seeking services for parents. They also provide support for people with autism in terms of schooling and employment, helping them integrate more effectively into society with dignity.
Moreover, China's rehabilitation training system for people with autism is improving. A system of early autism screening has been established in southwest China's Guizhou Province, for example, and the number of institutions providing rehabilitation training services for people with autism in the province is increasing.
In July, the China Disabled Persons' Federation, the Ministry of Education and five other authorities released a five-year implementation plan for the care of children with autism. The plan proposes measures such as strengthening medical insurance, expanding educational resources and improving rehabilitation services networks, aiming to improve the environment for the growth and development of children with autism.
"To be together with the 'children of the stars' is a journey of knowing about one another. The themes of the journey are understanding, respect and love," Fu said. ■
