Almost three years of pandemic restrictions have been hard for 23-year-old Chinese villager Zu Wenbao, but thanks to Beijing-based Chen's Studio, music has become his saving grace.
Zu and Zhao eat dumplings for lunch at their home in the Beijing area, China September 8, 2022. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang Zu plays the keyboard during a practice session with his band Star Kids, at a music studio belonging to 38-year-old teacher Chen Shensi in Beijing, China July 31, 2022. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang
China has passed several laws to ensure inclusion of people with autism, most recently in September to standardize autism screening, diagnosis and intervention for young children. People with autism tend to find it difficult to get jobs, and the music school's founder Chen hopes he can change that by giving his students a way to earn a living: the Star Kids band has already performed several concerts at events held at camp sites on the outskirts of Beijing.
Flora Tan guides her son Jackie Zheng, 29, as he practices the accordion before a performance onstage with his band Star Kids, at Beijing Eco Valley Smart Farm, a farm and campsite in Beijing, China September 3, 2022. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang