A courtyard deep in the Liuhai hutong in an old district of Beijing is providing visitors to the Paralympic Games with a glimpse into the community life of Chinese people with disabilities.

The community center, dubbed "sweet home" by the handicapped in the Shichahai Bar Street of Xicheng District, is an old Beijing residential compound of courtyards.

"Singing, dancing and making handicrafts are the main things the disabled community members learn here," said a teacher surnamed Li at the center, one of more than 1,400 community bases for the handicapped in Beijing. She said the center served more than 100 disabled persons living in the neighborhood.

Shen Fei, 26, who is mentally disabled, has represented China in sports competitions including the Special Olympics in the United States and Ireland. It was only after he joined the community center in 2007 that he became confident talking in public and ventured out without his mother.

"Before I came here, I was afraid of talking with strangers. But now I feel happy and satisfied in public occasions," said Shen.

Gao Yunhua, the first Chinese person with brain paralysis to obtain a college diploma, is among the staff at the community center. In 2003, the 27-year-old turned down an offer from IBM as she wanted to fulfill her pledge of serving the disabled. "My elder sister suffered more serious brain paralysis than me. I am so proud that my work in the 'sweet home' could make her and many other disabled friends feel more happiness in life," she said.

(Xinhua News Agency September 2, 2008)