Taiwan compatriot's bakery brings new sense of belonging, dignity to hearing-impaired employees

Li Shaohua, a Taiwan compatriot who devotes her time to public-welfare initiatives on the Chinese mainland, has provided free baking training to more than 60 hearing-impaired people in Beijing since 2017, helping them achieve financial independence and build self-confidence.

Li's family relocated to Beijing due to her husband's job transfer, and there, she became a full-time mother. In 2016, to complete a work assignment for her daughter, Li went to volunteer at a hearing and speech rehabilitation center, where she encountered hearing-impaired individuals.

"My connection with them began back in 2016, when these hearing-impaired people were very young. In their eyes, I saw a longing -- a desire to stop being someone who always has to hold out their hand to receive help. We ought to give them more time and patience, and truly teach them a trade. When they realize they possess such a skill, their lives are truly transformed," said Li.

Making up her mind to take action, Li founded the Rainbow Angel Coffee, a bakery and cafe mainly employing hearing-challenged bakers, helping them turn a craft into a pathway for self-reliance and personal growth.

Inside the shop, bakers and volunteers work in seamless coordination, meticulously preparing coffee and pastries. Through social media and community support, the cafe has gained widespread recognition, becoming a local favorite and a source of immense pride for those involved.

"I think we really owe a lot to social media -- word spread from person to person, and we became quite well-known. So many customers come to see us and enjoy our baked goods. We rank number one in this area, so I'm absolutely delighted and incredibly proud of these young people," said Xu Huili, a volunteer.

Participants have gained a renewed sense of security, dignity and belonging. Volunteers note that the initiative offers far more than vocational training, providing an inclusive environment where individuals can live life on equal footing.

"For these hearing-impaired people, it is not just about learning a trade. In reality, it is about giving them a life just like everyone else's," said Lu Yao, another volunteer.

As the aroma of freshly baked pastries fills the cafe each day, and volunteers and bakers share moments of mutual growth and quiet understanding, Li's initiative continues to prove that love and craftsmanship know no bounds. Her passion has helped weave warmth and a shared future across the Taiwan Strait.

"Seeing them carve out their own niche in this coffee shop, I can say that I am incredibly proud of them," said Li.

Each of the volunteers said that working with the cafe has been one of the most rewarding experiences of their lives.

"I hope they can pass this love on," said Xu.

"As you help others grow, you grow yourself; when you allow others to love you, you receive love in return," said Lu.

Taiwan compatriot's bakery brings new sense of belonging, dignity to hearing-impaired employees

In the war-ravaged Gaza Strip, the ruins of destroyed buildings are becoming a source of income and building materials. With reconstruction stalled by persistent Israeli military attacks, Palestinians are recovering waste steel from among the debris to make a living and reinforce their shelters.

With a heavy hammer and his bare hands, Ahmed Al-Kafarna, a displaced Palestinian, spends a grueling day breaking concrete blocks and extracting waste steel from the ruins of destroyed buildings.

Steel is one of the essential construction materials whose entry into Gaza remains restricted by Israel.

Ahmed Al-Kafarna and his fellow workers struggle daily to earn a living, breaking apart tons of concrete slabs from war-damaged homes.

"This was never my line of work. Before the war, I was a student and a farmer. The war destroyed our lives and took away job opportunities. I was forced into this dangerous and exhausting work to provide for my family and keep us going," said Ahmed Al-Kafarna.

More than a million displaced Palestinians are living in tents, many of them worn out. As winter approaches, another displaced Palestinian Mohammed Abu Zaher is using waste steel recovered from the rubble to build a stronger shelter for his family.

"I'm buying these steel bars to build a better tent. Our current tents are weak and too low, offering little protection in summer or winter. With this steel, I can build a larger tent with a higher roof and windows, and secure it firmly before winter arrives," said Mohammed Abu Zaher.

Yahya Al-Sarraj, mayor of Gaza City, said the key to addressing the destruction and shelter crisis lies in reopening Gaza's crossings and allowing heavy machinery and construction materials to enter, enabling debris removal and reconstruction to begin.

"The people of Gaza are now suffering very much because there's no start for the reconstruction process of the damaged buildings in all the Gaza Strip. This is causing a lot of problems and people are still living in tents and the tents are now not very useful in winter and summer, and there is a risk of flooding during this coming winter," said Yahya Al-Sarraj.

Gaza is estimated to be buried under more than 60 million tons of rubble. UN estimates suggest that clearing most of the debris could take between seven and ten years and cost billions of U.S. dollars.

Three years after the war began and one year into the so-called "ceasefire period", Gazans are struggling to rebuild their lives. They are taking the search for building materials literally into their own hands amid millions of tons of rubble and widespread destruction.

Palestinians recover waste steel from building ruins to make a living, reinforce shelters