CHINA DAILY HONG KONG EDITION Thursday, November 1, 2018 CHINA 7

Poverty alleviation

Left: Workers check socks made at a factory built to create jobs for people in Kuqa county, Aksu prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. YUAN HUANHUAN / XINHUA Above: A woman from Wushi county, Aksu, harvests edible black fungus. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY

Liu, who said many people from ethnic groups who cannot speak Mandarin or are poorly educated are unwilling to leave their Fungus and factories forge stable hometowns. Moreover, some people are una­ ble to work outside the county as they have to care for aging parents or young children. In response, the Aksu poverty alleviation office is encouraging factories to relocate to incomes and raise living standards Wushi to provide opportunities for people who cannot leave the county, she added. In August, a man named Burhan, who owns an embroidery factory in Hami city in The lives of residents of four areas in western China are improving thanks to targeted measures. eastern Xinjiang, opened a similar facility in Wushi. “There are many young people who Zhang Yi reports from Aksu prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, with Cui Jia in Urumqi. are quick to learn and eager for a job here,” he said. unisakhan Juma and her neighbors sticks”, as the villagers call them, are then Before opening his new venture, Burhan in Towankh Magget village spend stored in the grow tunnels to prevent rapid selected a number of women from Wushi to their days taking care of rows of evaporation. work as instructors. On June 8, Atkam enormous plastic grow tubes in their “Instead of growing walnuts, we now Mamat, 24, and seven other women from fields. T The tubes contain logs made from break tree branches to make the bacteria Yakhrik village in Wushi traveled to Hami. It pulped walnut branches that are covered with sticks. It’s natural, and means the fungus was the first time she had left Wushi. wood ear, an edible black fungus that is rich in can be produced at a reasonable cost,” Tunis­ Having spent two months in Burhan’s fac­ vitamin K. akhan said. tory in Hami learning how to operate the In about four months, the fungus crop Liu Guorong, deputy director of the pov­ embroidery machines, they started work in will be harvested, bringing a profit of erty alleviation office in Aksu, said growing the plant in Wushi. 500,000 yuan ($72,000) to about 200 people fungus is a way of creating value out of waste Now, 50 women work in the new factory, in 64 impoverished families in the poverty­ in Wushi, which was designated a national­ all being taught by the eight original stricken village in Wushi county, Aksu pre­ level poverty­stricken county in 1994. employees, Burhan said. fecture, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous The northwestern part of the county, “I always wanted a job, but I couldn’t leave region. which is surrounded by mountains, shares a the village because of my young child and The county, which covers 9,082 square kilo­ 137­kilometer border with Kyrgyzstan. The elderly parents,” said Atkam Mamat, who meters, has a population of about 235,000, total area of cultivated land is 30 million earns 2,000 yuan a month. with about 94 percent being members of eth­ hectares and the per capita area of cultivat­ “When I was told there was a chance to nic groups, including Uygur and Kyrgyz peo­ ed land is 1,553 square meters. learn a skill and get a stable job in the vil­ ple. “The soil is very thin and contains many lage, I grabbed it,” she said. Local farmers used to grow walnuts for a small rocks, so the area of cultivated land Last year, the per capita income of Wushi’s living, but the high level of salinity in the Atkam Mamat, from Yakhrik village, Wushi, operates a machine in an embroidery factory, where per family is very low,” Liu said. “Before, wal­ farmers rose to 9,089 yuan from 6,550 yuan soil and a high water table that often left she trains new members of staff. ZHANG YI / CHINA DAILY nuts were the main cash crop and the only in 2014, and the figure is expected to reach the ground waterlogged resulted in unsta­ source of income for many farmers.” 10,198 yuan this year, according to the pov­ ble yields and fluctuating annual incomes. Poverty is also responsible for the low level erty alleviation office. A poor transportation and distribution limakan Desert, the largest desert in China ing the four prefectures, with the aim of of education and poor health care provision It noted that between 2014 and last year, network makes it difficult for the locals to and the second­largest shifting sand desert lifting 400,000 people out of poverty by the in Wushi, and families can easily fall into pov­ 45,770 people from about 11,450 families sell their agricultural produce and exacer­ in the world. Local living standards have end of December. erty if a member becomes ill or is injured in an were lifted out of poverty. bates low incomes. In some areas, the harsh been below the poverty line for decades as a accident, according to Liu. Wushi still has 4,697 impoverished fami­ natural environment makes further devel­ result of the changeable weather and erratic Growing riches In addition to growing fungus, the main lies, but 1,297 of them are expected to climb opment almost impossible. crop yields. “I thought black fungus came from the sea, method of poverty reduction is to help peo­ above the poverty line this year, while the Last year, the regional government sent a Raising living standards in the four prefec­ and it was impossible to grow, but after being ple find full­time employment, stable remainder will follow suit next year. poverty alleviation team to the village. tures is crucial to China’s objective of eradicat­ encouraged by the team, I decided to try,” said incomes and valuable skills, she added. “We are confident that Wushi will reach “We needed to turn the disadvantages into ing rural poverty by 2020, but it poses a great Tunisakhan, who earned 11,000 yuan last year According to the poverty alleviation office its goal, thanks to the new factories that advantages,” said Li Keqiong, head of the challenge for the regional government. from cultivating the fungus. in Aksu city, the local government has have created more jobs,” Liu said. team. They discovered that the village, with Pushing forward poverty alleviation work When they grew walnuts for a living, the arranged for 7,900 people to work in factories “The most important thing is the change in its cool climate and abundant water resour­ in Xinjiang has always been difficult, and villagers had to prune the trees to help them outside the county. the people. They are more motivated to strive ces, was suitable for commercial cultivation that is still fundamentally the case, accord­ grow. They stored the severed branches in for better lives, and the people who succeed of the edible fungus. ing to a statement released on Tuesday by their yards. A new start set a good example for those left behind.” the Xinjiang Poverty Alleviation Office. When the poverty alleviation team In August, Abudushukur Karem, his wife, In addition to teaching workers, Atkam is Impoverished communities Most people living in deep poverty in the arrived, they noticed the fungus growing on son and daughter, from Wushi’s Ahya vil­ now head of human resources at the Government data shows that there were four prefectures are rural residents, and the branches, and realized that cuts in the lage, started working in a textile mill in Aksu embroidery factory. about 1.9 million impoverished people in many are members of ethnic groups with bark provided the perfect breeding ground, city, making a combined monthly income of “A new life is ahead,” she said. Xinjiang in January, with more than 1.6 mil­ limited education. Many also have chronic Tunisakhan said. 11,800 yuan. lion of them living in extreme poverty in illnesses associated with their lifestyles In response, the team provided machines “In the past, farm work was arduous but Aybek Askhar and Mao Weihua four southern prefectures: Kashgar, Hotan, (such as tuberculosis and iodine deficiency), to pulp the tree branches. The pulp is made paid little. Our lives are much better now, contributed to this story. Aksu and the Kezilesu Kirgiz autonomous the statement said. into logs and wrapped in damp plastic and we are considering settling down in the prefecture. This year, the regional government initi­ sheeting to create an environment where city,” Abudushukur said. Contact the writers at The prefectures lie on the edge of the Tak­ ated a three­year poverty­relief plan target­ the fungus can multiply. The “bacteria The family is an exception, according to [email protected] Barbershops head Bikes and buildings see former new employment herdsmen leading better lives plan for women By AYBEK ASKHAR and ZHANG YI During the daily 40­km journey, Roz in Wushi, Aksu prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur strengthens the barbed wire along the By AYBEK ASKHAR and ZHANG YI autonomous region border. He stops occasionally and uses in Wushi, Aksu prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur his binoculars to check for suspicious autonomous region Gulikez Amantur, a Uygur barber in Wushi, Roz Saddik is a Uygur herdsman in the activity. works in her shop. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY mountainous area of Wushi county, Xin­ As one of China’s most impoverished Roz Saddik (front), a Uygur herdsman, This year, the office of the Women’s Federa­ jiang Uygur autonomous region, which counties, Wushi receives strong support patrols Wushi’s border with Kyrgyzstan with tion in Wushi, a State­designated poverty­ shares a 137­kilometer border with Kyrgyz­ from the central government. several colleagues. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY stricken county in the south of the Xinjiang barely kept pace with the cost of living. stan on its northwestern side. In 2016, the local government started a Uygur autonomous region, started a pro­ In 2013, she became pregnant, so she quit The first thing the 50­year­old does every program to provide free permanent hous­ both my feet are bent out of shape,” he said. gram to help 46 impoverished women open her job and stayed in her home village. Her day after breakfast is check his motorbike. ing with modern amenities to replace the Recently, Roz developed a new longing barbershops in their home villages. husband works at a small store in the local If there is a problem with his “mechanical herdsmen’s shabby yurts that lacked run­ when he saw vehicles passing on the moun­ The program will help the women to start bazaar, earning a few hundred yuan a horse”, he may not be able to continue the ning water and electricity. tain highway. He wants a car. their own businesses and promote modern month. “The time after my baby was born mission he inherited from his father. In the same year, Roz moved into a brand “Both of my sons have jobs, and I receive a lifestyles in poverty­stricken villages, said was probably the hardest of my life,” Gulikez To better guard the border, the local new house with amenities and a sheepfold monthly salary of around 2,000 yuan ($287) Wang Yuzhu, deputy head of the federation’s said. government hired herdsmen to patrol the out front so he would be able to raise doz­ as a ranger. All I need is to sell some of my office. “However, when they learned that I had area and report emergencies. Familiar ens of animals. sheep. Buying a car is not just a dream,” he Anargul Sultan, a member of the Uygur trained as a barber, the Women’s Federation with the complex mountainous area, Roz’s “You can never understand how impor­ said. ethnic group from Inat village in Wushi, offered me the opportunity to open my own father took the job voluntarily in the early tant such a house is if you don’t live in the As life has improved, Roz has started used to live by farming. Recently, she barbershop. They provided free premises 1990s. mountains. The thick wall that keeps out reflecting on the past. opened the first barbershop in her village. and 10,000 yuan to buy the necessary equip­ The biggest challenge for his father was the bitter cold and wind allows me to sleep “The thing I regret most is that my sons “Villagers used to go to the barber in town, ment. frigid weather. He had to return to his yurt peacefully,” he said. did not receive enough education, which but now they can have their hair cut in the vil­ “I only charge 5 yuan for a haircut, which before night fell, otherwise he might not The rangers are more fortunate than could have provided a better life for them,” lage,” she said. “Business is good. I can earn is cheaper than the barber in town. I also sell survive in the extreme cold, Roz said. their fathers because they all have motor­ he said. 300 yuan ($43) on a good day. I will learn to some skincare products and shampoos, “My father suffered a lot. Patrolling the bikes. Roz can range freely in the moun­ Now, more than 100 border rangers in provide more stylish haircuts in the future to which are popular with women in my vil­ mountain with its hazardous paths was nev­ tains with no fear of the dark. Wushi have seen their living standards rise make the local women look more beautiful.” lage. Sometimes, my husband goes to Aksu er an easy thing to do, but he never gave up,” The motorbike has also greatly short­ as a result of the job. Gulikez Amantur, a 26­year­old Uygur city to help me restock,” she added. said Roz, who was born and raised in the ened the time it takes to make each “I am proud of my work. I will dedicate woman from Aktokhay, one of the poorest Gulikez makes about 1,000 yuan a month mountains. patrol, and the sound of the engine rever­ myself to this glorious mission to carry on villages in Aksu prefecture, used to make a from her new endeavor. “I hope my barber­ In the late 1990s, he took over respon­ berating through the valley makes him my father’s example and spirit,” Roz said. living by picking cotton in Kuqa, a nearby shop will attract more people — I want to sibility with his brother. Every day, they feel at ease. county. The work was tiring, and although seize this opportunity to live a better life,” patrol the mountain, just like their “I used to wear out several pairs of shoes Contact the writers at she worked eight hours a day, her salary she said. father. Each patrol takes eight hours. a year because I walked too much, and now [email protected]