As World Autism Awareness Day approaches, Walmart China and the Shenzhen One Foundation have relaunched their inclusion program, the "Big Dream Achiever" Program. This year, the initiative is strengthening its community integration efforts, expanding from Beijing, Chengdu, Kunming, Shenzhen, and Shanghai into Sam's Club and Walmart stores in Guangzhou and Fuzhou. The goal is to offer more young people with intellectual disabilities hands-on vocational experience and meaningful social connections for their families.

"For three decades, Walmart China has been committed to finding ways to serve and give back to our communities," said She Duanzhi, Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs at Walmart China. "The Big Dream Achiever Program is one of our most enduring philanthropic efforts. We hope to work alongside partners across society to build a lifelong support system for these young people and their families—one that bridges family care, community inclusion, and career development." The system aligns with the 2026 World Autism Awareness Day theme, "Enhancing Lifelong Service Provision, Focusing on Family Support and Adult Services for the Autism Community."

Since its inception, the program has provided in-store internship opportunities to over 530 young participants and engaged more than 2,500 youth, parents, job coaches, and volunteers through workshops, training sessions, and community events. In Longhua District in Shenzhen, a pilot initiative called the "Family Development Center for the Disabilities in the New Era" is now exploring a sustainable, community-based model for lifelong support.

Into the Community: Where Small Joys Find a Place

On a recent outing at Donghu Park in Shenzhen, Hanghang, a young man with Down syndrome, eagerly reached for the hand of his friend Lele. Together with their parents and Walmart employee volunteers, they set off on a nature walk—one of many community integration activities regularly organized by the Big Dream Achiever Project.

Unlike Hanghang, Lele, a youth on the autism spectrum, is more reserved. But his mother has seen the quiet transformation that happens when he is among familiar faces. "For individuals with intellectual disabilities, social interactions don't come naturally—it's often the biggest hurdle. Without regular engagement, skills can regress. You have to keep showing up, keep practicing those unwritten social rules," she said. She takes Lele outdoors, to learn the ocarina, to go on traveling, and even to attend school reunions. There are awkward glances from strangers sometimes, she admits, but those moments are dwarfed by the warmth and acceptance they often encounter. "We belong to the society just like everyone else, and we have every right to enjoy what life has to offer."

For her, the Big Dream Achiever Program gatherings have become something rare: a space where her son can simply be himself and where she can find a supporting companion among parents who truly understand. "Every time we meet, the kids always call out 'Auntie.' Their innocence reminds me how simple and beautiful life can be. Some of these families have grown so close that they'll travel across the city so their kids can take a class or hang out together."

Two-Way Integration: The Quiet Shift Toward Acceptance

Building a truly inclusive community begins with a shift in public awareness and attitude. For Walmart China, it means starting with its own people. Employees are encouraged to play an active role, both as mentors and as allies. In stores, they serve as approachable job coaches for the interns. Out in the community, they join in as companions, helping to foster mutual understanding through shared experiences.

During this year's World Autism Awareness Day, Sam's Club and Walmart stores across China put up posters inviting customers to learn more about and embrace individuals with intellectual disabilities.

Li Huiyan first signed up through the company's volunteer club. She admits she was nervous and unsure at the start, but those feelings faded with real interaction. "I found that these young people are straightforward and sincere," she said. "Beneath our differences, we're all just people." She has since become a regular, even joining immersive weekend camps designed to help participants practice everyday social scenarios.

For Gan Huijuan, another volunteer, the program has changed not just how she sees others, but how her daughter sees the world. Last year, she brought her daughter to an inclusive concert organized by the project. When they watched Changchang, a young participant with autism, deliver a beautiful ocarina performance, her daughter was stunned. "She said, 'I didn't know kids with autism could be this talented. I want to be that good at something,'" Gan recalled. "That's the thing about real encounters—you can't teach that kind of lesson in a classroom. It reshapes what a child thinks about equality, acceptance, and becoming a better person."

Beyond a Single Day: Toward a Permanent Safety Net

Lifelong support calls for a permanent, normalized network. Since 2024, the Big Dream Achiever Program has been piloting an integrated model at Longhua District. The Family Development Center for Disabilities in the New Era is designed to be a neighborhood hub for families with the disabilities.

The center keeps files on registered families, connects them to available resources, offers coaching for caregivers, and provides emotional support. Staff also make regular visits to local schools and residential communities and help neighbors understand that difference doesn't have to mean distance.

"I want to get to point where seeing a person with a disability at the movie theater, the convenience store, or the supermarket is completely unremarkable. No stares, just a helping hand when one is needed," said the center's director. It sounds modest. But for the families who have spent years bracing for the next awkward encounter, it would mean everything.