Knowing locals key to reducing poverty

Being a village leader is not only about the title, according to Zhang Yinhai, an official at the science and technology bureau of Guigang in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, it is about taking responsibility.

In 2018, Zhang was assigned to work as the Party secretary of the village of Liugui in Pingnan county, to assist in the local fight against poverty.

"I got a more profound understanding of poverty alleviation after I visited a local disadvantaged household," Zhang said.

He recalled the visit to the family of Chen Rihui.

Chen and his wife are migrant workers in Guangdong province. Their daughter is a student, and there is only Chen's 75-year-old mother Gan Jialian at home, Zhang said.

His mother's vision is impaired, Zhang said. Touched by the situation, Zhang bought Chen's mother a radio to listen to for news and entertainment. It was this experience that made Zhang decide to learn more about the lives of the locals when visiting rural areas.

"It is necessary for us to communicate with local officials and impoverished households in person," he said.

It is important when working on eliminating poverty to get close to the real lives and requirements of villagers, he added.

In 2018, in Liugui village, a 391-meter-long asphalt road was built, along with an orange grove and two apartment blocks. Construction has also been completed on an irrigation system for the grove.

A cooperative has been established to grow oranges in the 11.8-hectare grove. In 2019, the orchard, then 6.53 hectares, generated more than 380,000 yuan ($58,120), increasing local residents' income. By developing the grove as a characteristic industry, the village has created more than 400 job opportunities and generated more than 3 million yuan, according to Zhang.