I am confident about life now

Wang Shengzhong, a resident of Wulangangou village, Delingha, who has shaken off poverty

Three words describe my family's life right now: busy, bright, and gratifying.

The current situation is a far cry from where I was in 2015, when I felt overwhelmed and worthless.

I had polio as a child, which rendered my legs partially paralyzed and made me unfit for heavy manual labor.

The sole means of income for my entire family of five came from crops I harvested with my wife from our fields nearby, which generated about 14,000 yuan per year.

I was deeply worried when I saw my wife juggling household chores, farm work and odd jobs in nearby towns. I often questioned myself, asking what I could do to provide a better life for my wife, two daughters and son.

My fortunes took a turn for the better near the end of 2015, when I was classified as an impoverished resident and began to learn about a series of policies designed to lift poor villagers like me out of poverty.

Thanks to advice from village officials, my wife and I began experimenting with a range of crops that included barley and wheat. In 2016, the harvest generated 5,000 yuan.

We also applied for an interest-free loan in 2016 and used the funds to buy three cows and 60 sheep. That winter, I drove an electric tricycle every Tuesday and Thursday, delivering milk and yogurt to the local government offices who ordered my dairy products. I earned 2,400 yuan in just a few months.

The herd grew to more than 100, so I sold 60 sheep for 12,000 yuan. Then it crossed my mind that breeding them could become the backbone of the family's support while we continued to diversify our income streams.

So, when I received another batch of poverty alleviation funds in 2018, aimed at bolstering industrial development in rural areas, I decided to buy 12 pigs to diversify and start a new herd.

Now, I get up every day with a list of tasks to attend to: collecting feed for the livestock; cleaning the pens; and watching out for signs of illness.

Sometimes, I feel tired, but in a positive way. To be able to support my family through hard work is far more satisfying than being reliant on my wife or government subsidies.

For me, the biggest relief is that my eldest daughter has finished medical school and landed a job in Delingha. Also, the other children no longer need to worry about tuition fees.

I am fully confident about where my life is heading now.

Wang Shengzhong spoke with Wang Xiaoyu.