Village beats poverty, disabilities

Lequn, a poor, remote settlement tucked away in the mountains surrounding Liupanshui in Guizhou province, has about 4,000 residents, nearly 10 percent of whom have physical disabilities - almost double the national average.

The village, however, has tried to eliminate poverty by establishing a cooperative under the leadership of village head Hu Jihua.

Hu, 38, stopped growing at 1.4 meters tall as a result of a rare, congenital spinal disorder.

About half the residents are members of ethnic groups, mostly the Hui, Buyi and Yi peoples. In previous generations, most of the groups forbade cross-ethnic marriage, resulting in marriages between close blood relatives - and congenital problems for their descendants. The local government has tempered that tendency in recent years, according to Hu, himself of Yi origin.

Two decades ago, younger residents, mainly men, began to leave the isolated village, heading to coastal cities where wages were about 10 times higher. Most of them ended up on unregulated, dangerous construction sites with little protection. Inevitably, many returned home with permanent physical damage.

When he was elected village head six years ago, Hu vowed to lift everyone out of poverty. His idea was simple: Gather all available resources and focus on one thing at a time. He established the cooperative and invited every resident to invest money or land.

The cooperative operates like a regular company, but with a twist. It sells farm produce and other local goods, and the villagers take a cut of the profits.

Hu's plan has raised the family's above the national poverty line of 2,800 yuan ($406; 377 euros; 327) per person per year.

As a result of a work injury, Fang Jiaping's left leg has withered to the point that the muscles are barely visible. The 47-year-old had to lean against a wall for support as he spoke.

Fang acts as a casual laborer for the company, packing bags with grain, earning 90 yuan ($13) a day. He is also a shareholder in the cooperative, having invested 5,000 yuan. He can pull out anytime and get a refund.

Cai Xingxue's urinary tract was damaged in a farming accident and he has to wear a diaper in bed. He is 52. His wife has a serious spinal condition that prevents her from working. The couple have three daughters and a young son to support.

Before Hu established the cooperative, a family such as Cai's would have been reliant on limited government subsidies.

"Since joining the cooperative, I do whatever I am able to do, such as spraying pesticides, watering the plants and weeding. Every year, I work for five or six months and earn about 10,000 yuan," he says.

Villagers whose land falls within Hu's area of activity have an extra option. They can invest their land in exchange for shares in the cooperative. Every mu (0.066 hectare) they allow the cooperative to use brings in a fixed sum of 600 yuan per year.

chenmengwei@chinadaily.com.cn