Poverty Alleviation: Rural regions in Xinjiang strive to prosper

World
Europe

Fighting poverty has been a major target for China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. CGTN's Sun Tianyuan visited one of the most impoverished areas there, to find out how the people have been looking for alternatives to live a prosperous life.

Life can be hard for a town that endures gusts of sand and wind 8 months out of 12.

Farmers in the Gobi desert are looking for ways to battle poverty.

While heat and drought might not be helpful for growing crops, they're beneficial for raising birds.

SUN TIANYUAN BEIJING "This is the largest pigeon farm in the Hotan area. Every year it raises about 100,000 squabs, or young pigeons. And these small birds are expected to make a big fortune for local farmers."

CHEN XUEXIAN HEAD OF LOCAL PIGEON FARMS "Each employee can earn 24,000 yuan per year. The poverty line is set at 4,000 yuan for annual income. So one man at work can lift an entire family of six out of poverty."

Last year, southern Xinjiang launched 1,400 poverty alleviation projects in 22 of its most impoverished counties.

Yutian is one of them.

21-year-old Wuerkezi Maitusong works at a glove factory. Her family used to grow wheat and corn. The income was barely enough to feed the family.

WUERKEZI MAITUSONG QUALITY INSPECTOR "I'm earning more than before, and my life is getting better. I want to save the money to buy a car and pay off my son's college tuition fees when he grows up."

The salary may not be much compared to that of inland cities.

Nevertheless, it's a considerable income.

Things one takes for granted might be luxuries for desert town residents.

REYILAMU MAIMAITIZI FACTORY WORKER "My family was poor so I didn't go to school. So when I got my first pay check, the first thing I did was buy my children nice clothes, books and toys."

The former housewife is one of the 530,000 people who overcame poverty in Xinjiang last year.

The region aims to lift another 600,000 people this year - a step closer on the last mile to end poverty by 2020.

Sun Tianyuan, CGTN, Hotan, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.