Power of visibility

Local officials have praised the placement of silent cafes inside government buildings. By situating the cafes in hubs frequented by professionals and businesspeople, the project integrates people with disabilities into the professional world, directly showcasing their capabilities to potential employers.

Before 2023, Huaian had no such model. Now, with silent cafes, tea shops, and bakeries staffed by disabled employees gaining visibility, a shift is underway. "Many enterprises are now coming to us asking, 'Where can we find more personnel like this?'" said Zhu.

The power of changing public perceptions of people with disabilities was on full display at the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympic Games, which were held in December.

There, athletes broke 15 world records and 156 national records — a performance actively reshaping public understanding of what people with disabilities can achieve.

Clips from the games circulated widely on social media. One featured swimmer Jiang Yuyan, who has earned the moniker "Wing-Clipped Flying Fish".

The 21-year-old from Zhejiang province, who lost her right arm and leg as a child, was shown training with a prosthetic leg and then cutting through the water. Her dedication led her to win all eight of her events at the games.

Equally inspiring was high jumper Zhong Zhiqiang from Guangdong province, who lost his left leg at the age of 5, and cleared a height of over 1.66 meters with a single-leg takeoff.

Posts about the event trended on Sina Weibo. One focusing on the closing ceremony gained over 3 million views and drew comments such as, "Salute to the tenacity of life," and, "No act of persistence should go unseen."

Broader partnership

The silent cafe is just one part of a broader local initiative by the Disabled Persons' Federation to partner with enterprises in creating quality employment.

The collaboration with the homegrown milk tea brand Hao Hao Prince indicates this model works. With federation support — including training, free venue space in government centers, and negotiated zero franchise fees — entrepreneurs like Shan Wei are transitioning from beneficiaries to business leaders.

After a car accident resulted in Shan's leg disability, he returned to Huaian and discovered a milk tea training program advertised by the federation in 2023.

With comprehensive support, he became manager of the first Hao Hao Prince silent milk tea shop. His dedication helped turn the store's modest initial monthly revenue of 15,000 yuan into a thriving business that now employs multiple disabled staff. His success has been so compelling that the brand was inspired to launch a special product line co-branded with the federation and is now actively seeking to hire more disabled individuals across its stores.

Zhu said the next goal is to bring the silent cafe inside the closed compound of the municipal government building itself — not just the public-facing service center. He describes government compounds as a "scarce resource" and a protected market. "It guarantees our business volume," he said, as external competitors cannot enter.

The strategy is to leverage this support to create stable, high-traffic outlets, using these visible platforms to shift perceptions among decision-makers and the public, Zhu said.