Bahrain’s first cafe run by young adults with autism Halla by Alia is set to stage a special intimate event today, coinciding with World Autism Awareness Day.
The restaurant, located in A’ali, will host students of Alia Early Intervention and Rehabilitation Centre and their families for a morning of coffee and autism-themed baked goods. The programme is open to the public as well and will run from 8.30am to 1.30pm.
Halla means ‘welcome’ or ‘hello’ in Arabic, which brings alive the spirit of the cafe that was inaugurated last year. The initiative was the long-term dream of the centre’s director Dr Shaikha Rania Al Khalifa and was realised by the centre’s volunteers, alongside Bahrain Society for Children with Behavioural and Communication Difficulties.
Currently there are 165 students between the ages of three and 40.
Autism spectrum disorder is a neurological and developmental condition marked by disruptions in brain signalling that cause people to behave, communicate, interact and learn in atypical ways.
According to a latest report published in the Journal of the Bahrain Medical Society, the prevalence rate of autism in the kingdom are around four out of 10,000 children.
This year, World Autism Awareness Day is being celebrated under the theme ‘Autism and Humanity – Every Life Has Value’, highlighting and affirming the dignity and worth of all autistic people as part of our shared human future.
“Given the current situation, we are planning a small event,” the centre’s public relations head Khalid Al Awadhi told the GDN.
“We are still offering virtual classes, therapy sessions, and personalised online programmes until we receive further instruction from our government, and are preparing a smooth transition back to in-person services once the situation stabilises,” he added.
Since the start of the Iranian attacks in the region a month ago, most centres and organisations across Bahrain have shifted to online learning and flexible strategies to maintain essential educational and therapeutic services.
Children with autism depend heavily on structure, which makes routine critical. They often rely on predictability to feel secure, and sudden changes can lead to confusion, withdrawal, or rigidity, which makes the seamless transition to online sessions crucial.
Additionally, the centre is also committed to providing support, engagement and connection to the students’ families during this unprecedented time. The event today is an extension of the spirit.
In the past as well, the cafe has staged several talks by psychological experts, coffee mornings and yoga sessions, all in collaboration with local professionals, for the parents.
“Supporting the families is one of the purposes of the cafe. They come and drop their kids and they sit at the café or attend the session. We try to keep it diverse,” programme head at the centre Mona Khalifa noted.
Speaking about the cafe’s other milestones in the past year, she highlighted that some of the adult students working at the outlet have gone on to find permanent jobs, nodding to the centre’s vision for inclusivity.
“Halla cafe is a sheltered workplace. The students work on a rotational basis after which, they go to outside sources. We have had a couple of students from each round get jobs at banks, hypermarkets and hotels.
“This is where we get them to start for them to acquire the necessary skills because they need to be at a certain level to be able to cope at the companies. It is an ongoing process and hopefully, we will find appropriate placements for all,” she remarked.
Last year five students found permanent jobs. Presently, the centre is in talks with a hotel and car dealership for the next set of trainees.
“A professional job coach accompanies the candidate at the job site daily. It is a four-to-six-month programme, depending on the organisation. This is so the businesses do not feel any pressure and we want to take away whatever fear they (the candidate) might have. This works well and the job coach eventually pulls him or herself out,” Ms Khalifa explained.
In addition to training and placement, Alia Early Intervention and Rehabilitation Centre has other programmes, including its annual Run for Autism, which is set to be staged on April 18 this year (depending on the situation).
Furthermore, the Bahrain Society for Children with Behavioural and Communication Difficulties is preparing to launch two important projects: Amanah Residential Village near Adhari Park – a planned residential and vocational community designed to provide a safe, structured and supportive environment for adults with autism – and Infinity Teacher Training – a professional training initiative focused on strengthening skills in inclusive education, autism support and special educational needs.
- Those interested to support the cause can follow @hallabyalia.bh or aliaautismcenters on Instagram.
melissa@gdnmedia.bh
Arroy has a new friend!
Arroy, left, with Little Friend
Arroy the Lamb, a crocheted woollyback toy launched last year to raise awareness about autism and support individuals on the spectrum, now has a companion – Little Friend.
Brought alive through a collaboration with Bahraini women specialising in local handmade products, the items are handcrafted by the students at Alia centre under the guidance of teachers, and are available for purchase at Halla cafe.
All proceeds go to support the centre.
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