Coffee with a Cause: Halla Café, GCC’s Only Café Run by Autistic Adults

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

We humans can be a strange lot at times, tending to shy away from what we don’t fully understand. Autism is one such part of life that is often misunderstood or overlooked. Halla Cafe flips that script entirely. Here, the spotlight is on ability, creativity, and inclusion. Located in Bahrain, it is the only café in the GCC run by autistic young adults, giving them a space to learn, grow, and shine while serving the community.

Launched a year and a half ago, Halla Cafe takes the life-skills and employability program for autistic young adults to the next level, giving them a place to learn, grow, and shine. What began in classrooms and kitchens has evolved into a real-world environment where young adults bake, cook, make coffee, serve customers, and engage confidently with the public.

Every item at Halla Cafe carries meaning. Food, drinks, and merchandise - from sandwiches and traditional Arabic dishes to books, cups, tote bags, and decorative items - are all made, packed, and decorated by the young adults themselves and hence deeply personal, authentic, and purposeful, supporting skill-building, independence, and self-esteem. Beyond this, the café has also become a vibrant space for gatherings, seminars, and presentations - a hub for connection and inclusion.

Addressing common misconceptions, Dr. Shaikha Rania bint Ali Al Khalifa, founder of Halla Café and the Alia Rehabilitation Center, emphasizes that autism is far from a one-size-fits-all condition. Speaking to the Daily Tribune, she explained, “They are like fingers, no two are alike. Some of our young adults are exceptionally bright, almost at a genius level, others require more support. We have individuals who have completed high school, graduated from university, and others who are on the path to employment. What truly matters is giving each of them the right opportunity.”

That philosophy extends beyond the café. Through on-the-job training programmes lasting three to four months, autistic young adults gain exposure across sectors including banking, supermarkets, and hospitality, with strong support from organisations such as Al Baraka Bank. To ensure confidence and comfort, a job coach accompanies each trainee, facilitating learning, guiding interaction, and supporting communication with colleagues. “It allows them to meet strangers, make connections, and learn skills that simply can’t be taught in classrooms alone,” Shaikha Rania notes.

The café has also become a space where confidence flourishes, where young adults learn financial literacy, customer service, teamwork, and time management. Many experience, for the first time, the pride of earning a salary and understanding its value. 

Dr. Shaikha calls on local businesses to embrace on-the-job training programs. “It’s more than CSR - it’s about equipping our young adults with skills, confidence, and opportunity. The broader the participation, the bigger the impact.”

Halla Cafe is more than a café - it’s a movement for inclusion and possibility. Every cup served and every item crafted stands as proof that when society offers opportunity instead of limitation, everyone benefits. There’s so much an autistic individual can give back to the community, if only we stop judging the book by its cover.