Across China. Car wash sparkles with employment potential, hope for people with mental disabilities.
- Chris McMillan
- Sep 7, 2024
- 1 min read
Xinhua
19th June 2024
Across China. Car wash sparkles with employment potential, hope for people with mental disabilities.
At a car wash nestled within the bustling city of Shenzhen, a group of employees greets the morning at 8 a.m., kicking off their day with a self-devised routine. They spray water, lather foam and sway to the beat of lively music, treating the task of washing cars as if it were a delightful game.
The car wash is named Xihaner, meaning happy simple-minded children, an apt description of the mentally challenged employees who work there. Their average age is 26, but their intellectual capacities are akin to that of 7-year-old children.
In nearly a decade, the Xihaner team has grown from eight members to a group of 15, and has collectively washed over 100,000 vehicles. In doing so, they have not only earned their wages but also crafted lives of independence and dignity.
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