At the "Silence Coffee" on Beixin Street in Xincheng District of Xi'an, ordering, making and delivering food all proceed silently. In a world of silence, it is pretty hard for people with disabilities to make a cup of coffee.

In August 2020, the first "Silence Coffee" in Xi'an opened for business on Beixin Street, and all three baristas are hearing impaired except for the store manager Wang Lichao.

The store is not overly decorated, and the simple white and green setting creates a quiet atmosphere. Green plants and flowers add vitality to the space, and photos and handwritten cards of the store staff are placed on the walls and bookshelves, presenting their beautiful lives.

       

To give more people with disabilities the opportunity to learn different skills, Silence Coffee also offers training to people in the community who are willing to learn coffee skills.

In order to improve the social interaction skills of the store staff, from Monday to Friday, Silence Coffee offers charity learning programs such as coffee culture, art, English, eye care, sign language and poetry recitation, which also attracts many community members to be volunteers.

       

Various sign language graphics and cartoon demonstrations can be found everywhere on the shop's wall, so people can learn to communicate in sign language with the staff or pass the request through the instructor to the staff.

As there are many schools around, many students and parents often go into the store after school to rest, read a book or do their homework. At the same time, the loving and friendly atmosphere here helps children understand respect and care.

The new branch

                              

Last September, located 500 meters from the old store on North Shuncheng Road, a new branch of the "Silence Coffee" went into operation, with the same core but smaller space. "I'm not searching for money but creating a place to offer internships and employment opportunities." the founder Luo Tian said. The two stores have now employed eight hearing-impaired baristas, three of whom have chosen to start their own businesses, successfully adapting to the society.

Sitting at the front of the shop, watching people and cars come and go along the City Wall, you might feel quite peaceful inside.

Luo Tian said, "First of all, we have to open their hearts, then talk about the skills. We are now a window for the masses to feel how the life is like of the people with disabilities, who can in turn feel the society."

In addition to being the founder of Silence Coffee, Luo Tian is also the director of a training school. In 2008, Luo Tian started to reach out to the disabled community. Knitting, cooking, lock opening and repairing, tea art, computer ...... various training courses are open to people with disabilities.

From 2008 to now, Luo Tian's skills training school has provided courses for 1102 disabled people, one-third of whom have been employed in the society.