Suffering from dyslexia, Man-hon has been feeling defeated both at school and at home, turning him into an inferior and pessimistic boy. After taking part in the joint programme of The Salvation Army and a coffee shop, he acquired some coffee making skills and discovered his real interest. For the first time ever, Man-hon experienced the bittersweet success that tasted just like coffee.

When he was small, Man-hon’s homework was always full of mistakes and sloppy handwriting. ‘It drove my father crazy picking up my wrong words, but I couldn’t help it. All I could do was to keep correcting and correcting...’ Lack of understanding from his family and constant failures in his studies made him feel as if his efforts were in vain. So he just muddled along.

By the time he was in Form 4, his school recommended Man-hon to take part in the latte art class organised by The Salvation Army Tuen Mun Integrated Service for Young People. Amen, owner of Cafe Heato instructed him during a series of training including brewing, frothing and latte art, and gave him the opportunities to have some experience in the cafe. Soon he developed a genuine interest in coffee making. Outside of classes, he kept practising and learning more about the origins of coffee, flavours and brewing skills. With the recognition from his instructor and friends, Man-hon began to have some confidence in his ability, ‘I can also do better than others.’

During the weekends, Man-hon works as an apprentice at the Natural Cafe, a coffee corner in Salvation Army centre. He is required to talk to the customers while serving them. ‘I tried to communicate with customers. Gradually my communication skills improved. Now I’m not afraid of talking to strangers’, said Man-hon. When he met parents of children with special educational needs (SEN), he would take the initiative to share his own experience, telling them that SEN children can also reach their full potential.

Removing the Labels
Man-hon is not only supported by Natural Cafe, but also his instructor Amen. Amen is also a dyslexic. He has gone through many ups and downs before he could open his own cafe and realise his dream. Whenever the apprentices ask him about coffee brewing, he shares what he knows unreservedly. He even offers the venue and equipment for free to let the apprentices experience the real working situation. He always encourages the apprentices not to give up, ‘People may “label” us, but we can do our part to equip ourselves and show them what we can do.’ Man-hon is greatly inspired, ‘Amen didn’t give up on his dream despite all challenges he went through. The so-called difficulties I’m now facing are nothing. How can I give up? Dyslexia is not an excuse. I can also study hard.’

Man-hon’s efforts have been recognised. His school presented him with the ‘Improvement Award’. He began to discover other interests apart from studying, such as coffee brewing, music and sports. He now believes that every trade has its master as long as we work really hard in our interests. He said, ‘From my story, I hope others may understand the hardship of people with SEN; more importantly, we do have our strengths.’

Latte Art Training

The Salvation Army and Cafe Heato jointly provide latte art training for young people with SEN or low motivation in learning, including those with dyslexia and ADHD. After basic training, the young people can serve members of The Salvation Army Tuen Mun Integrated Service for Young People at the Natural Cafe, a coffee corner in the Centre. Such training on communication and interpersonal skills helps boost their self-confidence, enabling them to further explore their personal development path.