Lucky Star shines in Xiamen

The mother of an employee known as Xiaoli wrote to Luo that:"It hasn't been easy to come this far. Every bit of progress my child has made wouldn't have been possible without the guidance, support and care of the teachers. Thank you. This little shop is more than just a workplace for my child. It's a place where he is growing and realizing his worth."

The shops are also part of an initiative by the Xiamen Disabled Persons' Employment Service Center to help people with disabilities improve their living conditions, and integrate into society.

According to Chen Jun, director of the employment service, the center has supported the shops from the start by coordinating with the metro and property companies to reduce rental costs, and by calling for communities and organizations to donate goods, and raising public awareness.

The center also offers Luo's organization professional guidance, and has helped them design an inclusive employment model for individuals with autism supported by different institutions, communities, and governmental policies.

"We position the shops as places that provide adaptive employment training for individuals with autism, helping them with social integration, vocational training, internship, and work opportunities," Chen says.

"The shops act not only as secondhand goods transfer stations, but also as transitional workplaces that prepare these young people for future employment and independent living."

Among people with cognitive and developmental disabilities, Luo says that it's particularly challenging for those with autism to find a job.

Through the shops, she has felt a sense of warmth and love, with support from the federation, parents and the broader community, companies donating bottled water, and benevolent individuals reaching out to give donations.

One donated more than 1,000 books, and just a few days ago, another individual donated some 70 pairs of new shoes. Luo is often to be found driving around to collect these larger donations, a busy life in which she takes delight.

"The fact that I am meeting kind people everyday gives me immense happiness, and allows me to be more and more confident in what we're doing," she says.