Public libraries in villages help lift farmers out of poverty

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There’s an old Chinese saying "give a man a fish, you feed him for a day; teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."

It’s quite a pertinent lesson in China’s poverty alleviation drive. Many farmers simply lack the education and understanding of sustainable farming methods to climb out of poverty.

But a county in Henan Province has been looking to change that, and improve the "cultural environment" for its people – by opening up public libraries in all the villages in its jurisdiction.

43-year-old Yan Jinxi reads a book. /CGTN Photo

Farmer Yan Jinxi has enjoyed visiting this public library in Tangyin County, whenever he's not looking after his livestock.

With more than 6,000 chickens, Yan says what interests him the most are the books on poultry farming, "initially I had no knowledge about chicken diseases. Two years ago I read a book about different types of viruses and their respective symptoms. They help me to understand the diseases and how to deal with them."

Following years of study, Yan is almost a self-made expert on the poultry business, as well as one of the richest farmers in the village. He earns more than 100,000 yuan a year.

But there are others who have benefited from reading. Mother-of-two Meng Yinjie says it helps her be a better parent to her kids.

"I didn’t know how to cook before, and books have so many recipes. I also read about how to tell stories to the kids, especially when they are little, and like how much nutrition they need, things like that," she said.

CGTN Photo

Established in 2012, the library is located in the community service center, within walking distance of Jinxi and Yinjie’s homes. The library now stocks more than 2,000 books, with up-to-date collections ranging from agriculture and literature to education and lifestyle.

Villagers say since the library was set up, they have observed some positive changes in the village. “Before, we would just play Mahjong all day and gossip with the neighbors. Now we don’t do that as often as before," said Meng.

Most of the villagers have only been to high-school or middle-school. "They used to drink a lot or fight with each other. Now you rarely see those scenes," according to the librarian Wang Quanxi.

All of the 290 villages in the county are now equipped with a public library, thanks to provincial government funding.

For each one, the initial investment was about 20 thousand yuan, but more is provided every year to provide the latest information.

The deputy director of Henan Administration of Radio, Film and Television, Li Hongqing said, "the idea is that poverty should not be addressed through only giving subsidies. At its core is helping those in poverty to learn more. And the rural public library provides the type of knowledge they need to make a better lives."

The provincial government now plans to build libraries in more rural schools. By helping its future generations, it believes it can change the cultural landscape of these rural villages.