He Jianming, a laid-off worker at Manas County, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, receiving a tricycle. The man’s former employer bought the tricycle in hope that he would use it to make a living.

Manas has been the most affluent county in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, northwest China. The per capita income reached 5,318 yuan (8.27 yuan against US dollar) in 2002. Yet some households in the county are still living in poverty.

To get them rid of poverty, the county government has launched a poverty alleviation project, which has involved some 160 government institutions, enterprises, schools and other units. An official review on the project last year found that good results had been achieved in poverty alleviation. In 2002 alone, 199 households had been helped to shake off the poverty and move towards a relatively comfortable life.

Zhangs Confident of Future

The 45-year-old Zhang Guorong and his wife were both laid-off workers. Their 11-year-old son, Zhang Wei, had suffered from congenital heart disease and was hospitalized in 1999. The couple borrowed 40,000 yuan for their son’s surgical operation, and the family had been plunged into poverty further since.

The County Adult Vocational Education Center (CAVEC) came to their help. One day in December 2001, CAVEC director Feng Xiaohong and her colleagues visited the Zhangs and had a heart-to-heart talk with them, promising to help them out of difficulties.

Just to provide the family with some food and oil was not enough. What the CAVEC thought was how to help the family completely shake off the poverty. Taking into consideration the actual conditions of the Zhangs and its capacity, the CAVEC decided to contract the dining room affiliated to a senior high school to Zhang and his wife. Meanwhile, the CAVEC would pay school fees for Zhang’s son.

While informing the couple of the CAVEC’s decision, Feng encouraged them to surmount difficulties and change their life with their wisdom and diligence. The couple was too moved to say anything. They started when a new school term began. Cherishing the job, Zhang and his wife have worked hard to serve the students with high quality food. So far, the students have been very satisfied with the couple’s service.

Now, Zhang and his families live a stable life with a monthly income of more than 1,000 yuan, and they are fully confident of their future.

Akram’s Business Booming

The Akrams were living in poverty before the County Broadcasting and TV Bureau offered its help to them.

Learning that Akram is good at making roast meat, the bureau decided to help him run a restaurant. There is an ideal place near Akram’s home, but the owner, charged 1,000 yuan in advance as a deposit. Akram could not afford to pay because he was penniless.
　　　　　
Officials from the county government of Manas in charge of social security programs with Ahmed, a Uygur worker living below the poverty line.

The bureau negotiated with the owner on Akram’s behalf and offered a written guarantee for him, which helped Akram made the deal with the owner. Still Akram lacked the fund to start his business. The bureau asked him to produce a list of the necessities he must have to open the restaurant, and had all them, such as pots, bowls, plates and stools, as well as flour, rice and oil, delivered to Akram’s home the following day.

On January 18, 2002, Akram opened his restaurant named “Zhuafan Wang”-King of Uygur Rice & Dishes. The bureau arranged to promote it on TV free of charge. Now, the Zhuafan Wang Restaurant has become well-known in the county and Akram’s business is booming.

Kadirhan Moved to Tears

Kadirhan is an employee of the County Judicial Bureau. His wife has been suffering from chronic diseases. Of their five children, one is unemployed, while three are studying in university, secondary technical school, or junior high school. The family was living a hard life.

To help the children at school, the bureau donated 700 yuan to the family. In May 2002, Kadirhan’s wife was hospitalized and needed a blood transfusion, which the family could not afford. Once again, the bureau called on its staff to donate for the treatment. The bureau has also been trying to find a job for Kadirhan’s unemployed child. Touched by the concern and care, Kadirhan and his family were all moved to tears.

The County Maternity and Child Care Station is authorized to assist Xu Jiansheng and his family. Xu and his wife are both laid-off workers. He has been suffering from uraemia and needs some 800 yuan per week for medical treatment. The cost had compelled the family to the verge of despair.

Now officials of the station have brought about wheat flour, rice, oil and quilt to the family. Doctors from the station have given checkups for the family members and given them medicine free of charge. The station also managed to help lower the cost for Xu’s medical treatment, and solved the problems for his child’s education and his wife’s employment. The help has rekindled Xu’s confidence in life, he says.

The poverty alleviation project has also committed the County Education Commission to helping Tolahan, a single mother with an 11-year-old son, who has been suffering from several diseases. Proceeding from Tolahan’s actual conditions, the commission decided to support her son for primary and secondary education. This act has prompted several schools to follow suit and help the poor. According to statistics, in 2002, 266 students whose families lived below the poverty line were exempted from various fees for schooling, and the amount totaled 111,619.8 yuan.

Poverty Alleviation Project Popular

The county government of Manas planned to help 199 households with 721 people shake off poverty in 2002. In carrying out the poverty alleviation project, the authorities adhered to four principles: First, education institutions or schools were authorized to help those who could not afford their children’s primary and secondary education. Second, arrangements were made to commit medical departments to assisting families with members suffering from chronic diseases. Third, enterprises were made to aid families with members laid off or unemployed. Fourth, institutions were encouraged to help their own employees in poverty. With authorization, government departments, enterprises, schools and other units had worked out detailed plans to help those impoverished households according to their actual conditions. In the meantime, those living in poverty were encouraged to surmount difficulties, learn technical skills and shake off poverty with their own efforts.

According to statistics, from December 2001 to the end of 2002, the 160 government institutions, enterprises, schools and other units donated goods or produce worth 56,000 yuan to impoverished families, including 8,300 kg wheat flour, 1,860 kg oil, 1,750 kg rice, 1,680 kg fruit, and 90 tons of coal. They also donated 81,000 yuan for children’s education, medical treatment and living expenses. So far, the county’s poverty alleviation project has achieved good results. Akram, boss of “Zhuafan Wang” Restaurant, says: “With the poverty alleviation project-a project catering for the poor, we are now confident to reach the goal of Xiaokang, or well-off society.”

According to statistics, from December 2001 to the end of 2002, the 160 government institutions, enterprises, schools and other units donated goods or produce worth 56,000 yuan to impoverished families, including 8,300 kg wheat flour, 1,860 kg oil, 1,750 kg rice, 1,680 kg fruit, and 90 tons of coal. They also donated 81,000 yuan for children’s education, medical treatment and living expenses.