Bahrain’s first cafe run by young adults with autism is set to be inaugurated on Thursday with the aim of providing those on the spectrum with an opening to earn a living and prosper.
Halla by Alia cafe (Halla is ‘welcome’ or ‘hello’ in Arabic), located at the Alia Early Intervention and Rehabilitation Centre in A’ali, will be a first-of-its-kind bakery and cafe in the kingdom, dedicated to training and employing them.
The initiative, which has been the long-term dream of the centre’s director Dr Shaikha Rania Al Khalifa, is being brought alive by volunteers at the centre, alongside Bahrain Society for Children with Behavioural and Communication Difficulties.
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.
“We have already hired a chef and barista and our young talents will work under their guidance and the supervision of our team,” the centre’s public relations head Khalid Al Awadhi told the GDN. “Some will cook and others will be given front-of-house roles including cashiers and servers,” he added.
While the cafe initiative is new, the Halla by Alia concept was launched two years ago. Under the ‘brand’, the autistic individuals created various foods, from chocolates to sandwiches and coffee, all under the centre’s supervision, which were then sold to patrons and the proceeds used toward their needs and the cause in general.
Dr Shaikha Rania’s dream to provide them with something more permanent and job oriented soon followed. In 2022, the centre started training programmes, tying up with various supermarket and hospitality brands that ultimately hired attendees from the centre. The cafe is an extension of the same initiative to empower them and help them gain employment opportunities. Currently, Alia Centre works with 160 individuals aged from six to 45 years.
“If the model succeeds, we can replicate it in all governorates. The Social Development Ministry has many social centres where we could have similar cafes,” Mr Al Awadhi explained.
Hiring those with autism often comes with its unique set of challenges, which might deter some organisations, according to Mr Al Awadhi, who believes that a cafe such as this can bridge this gap.
“Autistic cafes are common in countries like France but there’s no such venue in Bahrain or the Gulf region. We understand that it’s not easy to hire autistic individuals and we can’t force them (brands and companies) but we hope that this cafe can be a good opportunity.
“It will also be nice for parents, who drop their children to our centre each morning, some from as far as Amwaj islands, to spend some time at the cafe. It would give them hope that their children’s future could be secured.
“Furthermore, while the community in Bahrain is generous, always supporting social causes, organisations who donate would be more likely to support a self-sustaining project such as this,” he added.
There are groups and individuals in Bahrain who work towards raising awareness about autism and many events take place too to educate the public about the condition. Many take place around World Autism Awareness Day, observed annually on April 2.
While there are no treatments or cures for autism, although experts agree that early diagnosis is crucial. Intervention with supportive measures – ideally before age three – remains critical for improving cognitive, social and communication skills. Such measures can include speech therapy, occupational therapy, social skills training, sensory integration therapy, visual aids, structured routines, individualised education plans, family therapy and providing a calm and predictable environment.
melissa@gdnmedia.bh
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