By ZHANG WEILAN

CHINA is concerned with helping ensure that all of its citizens have sufficient food and clothing， safe housing， and access to compulsory education and basic healthcare services as part of its poverty alleviation campaign. It is crucial that impoverished people are motivated and actively engaged in the undertaking.

On a recent seven-day trip to Zhaojue County， Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture， Sichuan Province， I discovered that women of impoverished households are holding up half the sky for their families. The following are some highlights of their journeys out of poverty.

Embroidery Empowering Women

Thirty-one-year-old Ahai Mebaowei never thought she would move into a 100-square meter home with bedrooms， bathrooms， a kitchen， and a living room in the central part of Liangshan. When she was still a teenager， the Guozu village native had to leave her impoverished parents behind in the desolate mountainous area that they were from in order to go work as a migrant laborer. She only had two outfits of clothes to take with her and a pair of gloves that her mother gave her.

“I worked at a factory in Guangdong， and my days there were difficult，” Ahai recalled. “I was an outsider and a nobody in the provinces bustling cities. I never forgot who I was or where I came from though.”She also mentioned that her dream was to live a decent life like some of the locals that she met while she was in Guangdong and that her dream finally come true.

Ahai eventually returned to Liangshan after her stint in Guangdong， got married， and had children. Her husband had been working as a migrant laborer as well and continued to do so， but it was difficult for the family of six to live on the RMB 3，000 income that they brought in each month. The Ahais resided in a simple adobe home at the time and were eventually identified as impoverished.

Local authorities in Liangshan began helping people who lived in dilapidated residences in rural parts of the prefecture renovate their homes and those who had been living in inhospitable areas relocate to resettlement sites at the end of July in order to help them get out of poverty.

“Relocation makes it possible for rural poor people to live better lives，” Jise Fangsen， deputy chief of Zhaojue， pointed out. “Women who reside in resettlement sites have an opportunity to work and increase their income and support their families without having to leave their homes， which would make them more independent of their sons or husbands financially and also help their families get out of poverty.”

In May， Ahai moved into a new residence in a community for relocation in Zhaojue with her husband and four children. The site is the largest of its kind in Liangshan and is currently home to 1，428 households that were impoverished when they moved in. The community features a maternal and child care center， a job training center， a supermarket， a service center that provides legal consultations and medical services， an activity center for the elderly， and reading and leisure rooms among other amenities. A primary school and an outdoor produce market are also under construction.

Ahai began participating in a special embroidery program and also gave birth to her fourth son soon after she moved into the community.

“I earn RMB 160 per day embroidering socks at home，” Ahai said. “I feel happy and satisfied because I am able to make a living while taking care of my kids.” The mother of four also mentioned that she could also earn additional income by leasing some of her land to local cooperatives.

Enlightening the Young

Luo Ying was teaching 36 preschool students about poetry with another female teacher in a house that had been converted into a classroom in Zhaojues impoverished Jieba Nada Village when I met her.

“We call ourselves instructors rather than teachers，” Luo explained. “We are responsible for teaching Mandarin to children of the Yi ethnic group and help-ing them develop good habits.”

The Liangshan government has been making efforts to support preschools in its jurisdiction and provide more openings for children from impoverished families since 2015. All Yi children who are between three and six years old can be exempt from tuition requirements at preschools in rural parts of Liangshan since May 2018 in order to encourage them to learn Mandarin. According to the Sichuan Daily， approximately 120，000 children have enrolled in over 3，000 preschools in the prefecture since the program was launched， and 400 more preschools will open soon.

“Students enjoy their time at the preschools， and lunch is provided for free，” Luo explained. “Children learn to speak Mandarin and become more outgoing， and parents dont need to worry about their kids while they work. Many students want to teach their parents how to speak Mandarin.”

Luo graduated from a college in Sichuan with a degree in Chinese language and literature and understands the importance of teaching Mandarin to Yi children.

“Mandarin is Chinas official language and is widely used around the country，” Luo said， and pointed out， “It is important that Yi children master it so that they can work and study in other areas.”

“Preschool has become popular in Liangshan，”Luo noted. “There is a mounting need for preschool teachers.” She thought that local governments should provide more training courses for teachers in Liangshan， and more than that they should also increase their salaries so that more people would choose the profession.

“Education plays an important role in discontinuing the intergenerational transmission of poverty，”Jise said. “Preschool empowers students of impoverished households and makes them more competitive. Language shouldnt be a barrier that holds them back in their future efforts to live a better life.”

Industrial Development Boosting Local Income

Biqu Mlaza is a resident of Liangshans Butuo County， who had been living in poverty until recently. Her family lived on the approximately RMB 2，900 a year that they made from selling corn， chicken， and potatoes. Biqu wanted to help her family escape from poverty despite the fact that she is in her 70s， an age which is considered to be well in to retirement in most parts of China.

Biqu began working at the Plateau Blueberry Plantation in Butuos Tuojue Town about a year ago and currently earns RMB 2，400 per month. She puts on work clothes with her husband every morning unlike most Yi women， who usually wear embroidered jackets and long， pleated skirts with multiple layers. The couples two sons have passed away， so they also need to take care of their five grandchildren.

Farmland is a lifeline for many Yi people. Biqus family has always gotten as much use out of their land as possible and is currently leasing 1.2 of their 1.4 hectares to the local government.

“We had the opportunity to move into a new residence just a few kilometers away from our old one，”Biqu said with a smile. “My husband herds sheep and cattle， while I work at a blueberry farm in the area. We also grow corn and potatoes on the 0.2 hectare of land that we havent leased to the government.”

Employment is a crucial part of sustainable development and peoples wellbeing， and helps vulnerable groups， such as women and the elderly， and safeguards their human rights. Developing industries have resulted in the creation of many new jobs in Liangshan in recent years. The blueberry farming undertakings in Butuo help reduce extreme poverty， improve local peoples lives， empower women， and contribute to environmental protection.

“Nine thousand people have worked at the farm since it was established， 60 percent of whom were from impoverished households when they started，”the manager of the Plateau Blueberry Plantation remarked.

Biqus main desire at this point in her life is to ensure that her five grandchildren get a good education.

“I worked hard to survive in the past，” Biqu recounted. “I hope that my grandchildren can thrive and have better lives than I did in the future.”