Twenty intellectually disabled people work at the Chun Hui special needs center in New Taipei City’s Sansia District, where they have been using their sturdy hands to make Mid-Autumn Festival gift boxes of delicacies such as moon cakes and pineapple cakes. From kneading the fillings and baking to packing, they handle all the processing themselves, thereby fostering their ability to stand on their own two feet.
Each year, as the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, the intellectually disabled workers at the Chun Hui center speed up their work, making each and every cake with loving care, but the busier they get, the happier they are. “It’s because when everyone likes them it gives me a sense of achievement,” says Hsiao Feng, who has severe learning difficulties. It took him 10 years to learn how to do all the baking processes. Now he is responsible for keeping an eye on the ovens. His happiest time comes each day as he watches the dough while it slowly rises and gives out a delicious aroma.
Hsiao Chi is a severely intellectually impaired person who was given up by her parents. After being placed in the special needs center, she started learning how to cook, which helped her rediscover the value of life. She states confidently that her strong point is making handmade cookies. As well as taking part in the baking, she paid out of her own money to buy a box of moon cakes. “I can give myself a bit of encouragement,” she says.
Photo: Chang An-chiao, Liberty Times
照片:自由時報記者張安蕎翻攝
Wu Mei-lin, the center’s head of training, says that although every member of the team is an adult, their mental capacities remain at the elementary school stage. Before actually baking, they first have to go through a long period of training, including using clay to try out kneading cake fillings, repeatedly attaching labels and so on. They may not have the outstanding skills of a master baker, says Wu, but they are all very conscientious about the cakes they make.
(Liberty Times, translated by Julian Clegg)
新北市三峽區春暉啟能中心二十名智能障礙者,用拙實的雙手製作月餅、鳳梨酥等中秋禮盒,從捏餡、烘焙到包裝都是他們親力親為,藉此培養自力更生的能力。
每年中秋節前夕,春暉中心的智能障礙者便會加緊趕工,用愛心製作每一份西點,但越忙他們卻越開心。「因為大家喜歡,讓我很有成就感」,重度智能障礙者小峰笑說;他花了十年才學會每一個烘焙手續,現在專職負責顧烤爐。每天看著麵團慢慢膨脹、散發香味,就是他最幸福的時光。
遭父母棄養的重度智能障礙者小琪,安置到啟能中心後,開始積極學烹飪,從中找回生命價值。她自信地說,自己最擅長製作手工餅乾。她不僅參與烘焙,更自掏腰包購買一盒月餅,「我可以自己給自己加油。」
輔訓主任吳美霖說,這裡每位成員雖然都已成年,但智力卻停留在小學階段,烘焙前必須先經過長期訓練,包括以陶土試捏餡料、反覆貼標籤等。他們或許沒有專業師傅的高超手藝,卻都用心看待自己手作的點心。
(自由時報記者張安蕎)
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