Singing. Under this small "sky" that belongs to them, the older "star children" learn to cook, go shopping, sing, draw, and run and play. After "graduating" from here, some people can also enter the "Sunshine Factory" to work.
"The children have grown up, but the parents do not dare to grow old. This is the most painful thing for every family of autistic children." Liang Yazong looked at the autistic young people running in the courtyard, his eyes wide. With tears.
In the "Xingxing Community" in Zhongbei Town, Xiqing District, Tianjin, Liang Yazhang is conducting inspection work. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Ran
47-year-old Liang Yazhen has no children, but she is the "Mama Liang" of more than 20 children in the "Xingxing Community". From the first time she came into contact with autistic children in 2012 to now, she has become a relative of these "star children".
12 years ago, Liang Yazhen's father passed away due to illness. Unable to overcome the pain of losing her loved ones, her friends took her depressed to participate in a charity event to care for autistic children. The pure and clear smiles of the children and the tenacious and optimistic attitude of the parents moved Liang Yazhen. She decided to jointly launch the "Love Star Dream Building Charity Service Center" with volunteers to protect these lovely people.
In recent years, the country has continuously improved and improved the level of early screening, diagnosis, and rehabilitation. Guarantees and services such as integrated education for autistic children have been continuously promoted. Children before the age of 18 have received more and more attention and support. But careful Liang Yazhang discovered that when these children graduated from school, their parents began to be "beyond their capabilities" due to their age...
Li Xue faced such a problem. Her child Qiangqiang was diagnosed with autism when he was 3 years old. He visited several rehabilitation institutions. Qiangqiang's behavior improved, but after graduation, he had nowhere to go and could only stay at home for a long time. Li Xue discovered that the life skills Qiangqiang had learned with great difficulty were gradually "degrading", and she was overwhelmed between taking care of her children and taking care of herself. "As long as you stay at home for a long time, you will lose your temper, and your 'bad' behavior will become more and more serious." Li Xue said, "When autistic children grow up and go out of school, it is difficult to find a job and want to integrate into the lives of ordinary people. Circle' is easier said than done. "
At the Aixing Dream "Sunshine Factory" in Xixiuyuan Community, Zhongbei Town, Xiqing District, Tianjin, Liang Yazhen (second from right) is looking at the artificial flowers made by autistic youth. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Ran
In order to solve the "belonging" problem of autistic young people, in 2018, with the support of the Xiqing District Government of Tianjin, Liang Yazhen established a Love Star Dream Building in Xixiuyuan Community, Zhongbei Town, Xiqing District "Sunshine Factory" provides auxiliary employment opportunities for older autistic and mentally disabled young people.
Walking into this "workshop" on the second floor of the community health service station, more than a dozen autistic young people quietly held fake flower petals and carefully fixed them on the branches.
"Making artificial flowers is one of our more fixed businesses at present. This work is not difficult and relatively low-intensity, so it is suitable for children." Liang Yazhen said. When the
factory was founded, there were only seven or eight children. In order to get jobs suitable for children, Liang Yazhan called almost all his friends. Whether it's packaging nail art pieces, making crafts, or packaging rice dumplings... "We're not trying to make money, we're just doing something for the children," she said.
Children gradually began to become better with practice, and Liang Yazhan’s story became known to more companies and parents. Today, Liang Yazhen has taken the lead in establishing three "sunshine factories" in Tianjin, and more than 60 autistic youths have found employment.
"Autistic people cannot fully understand some of the rules in society. But if there is a small sky that belongs to them, they can open their hearts and develop their talents, and they can also make some small contributions to society, even if they have a small sky that belongs to them. It’s about making a fake flower,” Liang Yazhang said.
In 2022, Li Xue heard about this factory and sent Qiangqiang to study. Today, Qiangqiang has become a "formal employee" here.Li Xue still remembers the feeling when he saw Qiangqiang earning his "salary" for the first time: "Although he didn't understand the meaning of making money at all, I cried, and those tears contained too much taste."
Liang Yazhang (second from left) organized a care event at the "Sunshine Factory" of Love Star Dream Building in Xixiuyuan Community, Zhongbei Town, Xiqing District, Tianjin. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Ran
The "Report on the Development of China's Autism Education and Rehabilitation Industry" shows that the incidence rate of autism in my country reaches 0.7%, and the number of people with autism spectrum disorders exceeds 10 million. How to protect their future?
In order to find the answer, Liang Yazhen took action. In 2021, she and the volunteers from the Aixing Dream Charity Service Center mobilized the parents around them to select a site, raised funds, rented a two-story building in Xiqing District, Tianjin, and established Tianjin's first collective dormitory for people with mental disabilities. ——"Star Community". Here, more than a dozen young people with autism and patients with Down syndrome learn life skills such as cooking and folding quilts under the leadership of skill teachers. At night, they rest under the care of life teachers.
"We originally established the 'community' in the hope of providing a place for autistic people whose parents are unable to take care of them or whose parents have died. However, the current people sent to the 'community' are mainly teenage children, most of whom have to go to work. I can’t take care of my children, or I want my children to learn some skills,” Liang Yazhen said.
In recent years, national and local governments have begun to explore extending support systems for autism and other groups. Last year, the "Shenzhen Autism Full-Life Support Service Implementation Plan" proposed that Shenzhen will provide full-life support for autistic people, explore the establishment of an autism community boarding care model, and include more qualified rehabilitation training projects in medical insurance scope.
"The problem is there, we have no reason to stop and hope they have a bright future." Liang Yazhen said. (Li Xue and Qiang Qiang are pseudonyms in the article)
(Source: Xinhua News Agency)
