13-year-old boy defies stereotypes in national video campaign Dan Jien

Feeling invisible, the butt of jokes or alone are some of the situations those with autism face on a daily basis, but one 13-year-old boy is hoping to challenge society’s attitudes towards this disorder by sharing his personal story.
Beppe Caruana, who is on the autism spectrum and unable to speak, uses a tailor-made augmentative device that has allowed him to find his voice and share his thoughts in a short powerful video titled Dan Jien.
“Where do I begin? One word comes to mind: complicated! I was always judged and called names such as ‘caflangu’ (weird) or ‘hyper’… all to my face as if I didn’t exist,” Beppe says in the video, accompanied by his parents Olivia and John.

“Let me tell you who I am. I’m different from you. I see the world around me as complete chaos; it drives me crazy to walk in a crowd. I hear differently from you; bright lights and loud noises make me very anxious… Although I cannot speak, with great effort I can write, and I wrote this script to share my thoughts about who I really am; an autistic individual, who is perfectly complicated. This is me. Dan Jien.”
The three-minute video has been specifically designed with middle school students in mind and has already been shared with 1,123 students during 45 workshops across State, Church and independent schools in Malta and Gozo to spark a discussion on autism.
From initial observations, the students’ feedback clearly shows the video is achieving its objective and has resonated with students — sparking curiosity, open discussions, and genuine interest in the topic of autism.
The Voluntary Organisations Project Scheme allocated €19,000 towards this project, and was a collaboration with The Malta Trust Foundation’s E3 Project, which has for the past years been instrumental in raising funds to purchase these life-changing devices to help children who are non-verbal and on the autism spectrum reach their potential.
Dan Jien, which forms part of a national campaign, was coordinated by The Malta Trust Foundation chair Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, and launched today in the presence of Health Minister Jo Etienne Abela, Education Minister Clifton Grima and Inclusion Minister Julia Farrugia.
Beppe has already written five children’s books, and Ms Coleiro Preca said the young boy has been instrumental is helping to dismantle society’s misconceptions about autism.
“Beppe is an inspiration to us all. He’s a living example of what people with autism can achieve when given the right tools and support. His message is one of encouragement to all parents that their autistic children have huge untapped potential; they should not give up — Beppe is living testimony of this,” Ms Coleiro Preca said.
“This video is a strong appeal for action. It’s a manifesto of encouragement that inclusion is not a buzzword, that effective inclusion is appreciating that everyone has a right to voice their thoughts, even when they’re unable to speak.”
Ms Coleiro Preca said The Malta Trust Foundation and the Malta Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society, would with the full support of all stakeholders, continue forging ahead to amplify children’s voices and share the message of a more humane and just society.
“There is strength in diversity and we all have an essential role to play to ensure nobody falls behind.”