CHEN YONGFA, the owner of a breakfast shop in Shuiwei Village of Longhua District, may be skilled at making different kinds of breakfasts, but what makes him truly unique is that he has only one arm and has run his own store for 10 years, the Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reported.

Chen, 39, had his right hand cut off by a machine while apprenticing at a factory in Nanshan District in 2000. At the age of 20, he fell into despair and even thought about committing suicide.

However, with the help of social organizations and lawyers, he gradually crawled out of the shadows and began working as a social worker to help others. Subsequently, he decided to start a business to show people that it is possible to make a living even if you are disabled.

Chen found that making soy milk was more suitable for a single-hand operation. Therefore, he began to make soy milk, and later expanded his business by cooking porridge and making rice noodle rolls.

According to Chen, all of the machines in his store have been carefully retrofitted or selected by him. For instance, the machine for making rice noodle rolls is a customized model that can be operated with a single hand. The sealing machine is automatic, and other machines have special handles for convenient use.

Moreover, the booming business at the store has not only supported Chen and his family, but also has given encouragement and hope to many people with the same experience as Chen.

As Chen’s breakfast shop gradually develops, he continues to focus on needy workers who suffer from injures. In 2010, he initiated an entrepreneurship training project, which provides accommodation and food subsidies for workers with occupational injuries.

The training includes learning to operate a store, psychological counseling and basic courses in entrepreneurship. So far, Chen’s project has attracted more than 300 injured workers to participate.

Chen’s inspirational story has also received kudos from customers and netizens. According to Chen’s wife, many passers-by stop to buy breakfast when they see her husband earnestly making the rice noodle rolls.

(Zhang Yu)