And, because he enjoyed baking, “he learned to overcome a lot of things”, she said, such as aversions to certain foods and rigidities in preferences.

In 2021, she started an online business for him called Bakes By Ben. “I thought, ‘If he can’t study, what else can I do to teach him self-reliance and the ability to be independent when I’m not around? I’d better start now, while I’m fit.’”

Supporters rallied. “We got many orders, especially at Christmas and Chinese New Year,” she shared.

It was also a growth opportunity as “I trained him in in packaging food, measuring, payment, cleaning up, throwing rubbish away, flexibility and doing everything by himself from start to finish”. She also had him make handwritten labels for customers, which helped him develop more awareness.

But, it was challenging, as she had to take care of all aspects of the business including marketing.

Working at a cafe is “a good platform for him to interact with more people”, she said. “He can also learn to serve customers. In the years to come, I think that will help him gain more confidence. And having a network is very important for his future.”