ICT shows the way to empowering rural women

In the mountains of Gulin county in Sichuan province, ancient tea trees have stood for centuries, and wild honey has long been a local treasure. When internet connectivity arrived, it brought not only information but also opportunity.

Liu Qian, a young entrepreneur who returned to her hometown to vitalize its rich yet underutilized resources, quickly recognized this potential. She established an agricultural cooperative to sell local products and built a homestay, employing many elderly local residents. Liu is also supported by a women's cooperative leadership capacity development program in Sichuan supported by United Nations Women and Mengdingshan Academy for Cooperative Development, where she developed skills in digital applications and rural entrepreneurship. She uses short video platforms to showcase the beauty of the region and the local products.

Crucially, Liu ensured that connectivity benefited everyone in her community by introducing the elderly to artificial intelligence-powered voice assistance. When elderly workers encountered a problem such as understanding a new regulation, operating some equipment, or simply seeking information, they usually called their children working in distant cities for help. Now, AI provides immediate, spoken guidance.