Baking for Independence

After graduating from high school, Ah-Chung (alias) was recommended by his teacher to work at a gas station washing cars. Though the job was repetitive and physically demanding, Ah-Chung stayed with it for an impressive 17 years thanks to his dedicated attitude. Through his attention to detail and persistence, he gradually earned the recognition of both his coworkers and customers.

Last year, seeing how hard her son had worked for so many years, Ah-Chung’s mother decided it was time for him to retire. She wanted to spend more time traveling with him and hoped they could enjoy a peaceful and joyful retirement together.

At first, without the stress of work, Ah-Chung felt relaxed and enjoyed traveling with his mother. However, over time, the lack of structure and purpose began to take its toll. His daily routine became irregular, he lost his usual energy, and sometimes he would lash out at his mother for no clear reason. Concerned, his mother began to look for solutions.

Following a friend’s suggestion, she contacted the vocational rehabilitation team at the Children Are Us Foundation, hoping that professional support could help Ah-Chung reenter the workforce and regain a structured lifestyle. After an assessment by the vocational counselor and with the assistance of a job coach, Ah-Chung was successfully placed back into the car washing job he knew and loved.

Currently, Ah-Chung is in the process of readjusting and relearning. While it may take a little time for his old skills to fully return, his passion remains strong, and his enthusiasm for work is gradually coming back. Most importantly, his mother is relieved and comforted to see him regain his rhythm in life.

“Would you like a cup of coffee? The coffee I make is really good!”
I’ve known Zhiming (alias) for three years now, and he’s grown more confident with each passing day. Though he’s not a front-line service staff member, he loves interacting with customers. Whenever someone walks into the store, he warmly greets them and proudly introduces the delicious coffee—made by him.

Zhiming is the main person in charge of preparing drinks at the store. I remember when I first met him, his latte foam was always too thick—more like cappuccino foam. But Zhiming never gave up. He would often use his free moments at work to practice, adjusting the milk frothing technique by fine-tuning the depth of the steam wand in the milk. On his days off, he even watched YouTube videos to learn how to froth milk and create latte art.

Thanks to his persistence and dedication, Zhiming can now create heart and leaf designs in his lattes. Many customers specifically request coffee made by Zhiming—not just because it tastes great, but because they can truly feel the care and effort he puts into every cup.

If you ever have the chance to visit the Children Are Us Café at the Chunghwa Telecom store, be sure to enjoy a latte handcrafted by Zhiming—you’ll feel a little bit of happiness in every sip.