[Poverty Alleviation Through a Lens] Sunshine brings new hope for poverty alleviation in the Dabie Mountains

The above image shows a bird’s-eye view of the footprint-esque photovoltaic power station, located deep in the Dabie Mountains. It is reported that there are 10 "natural” (non-administrated) villages within Jingangtai Village. Among the 558 households (2,217 people) living there, 187 households (592 people) were registered impoverished, equating to a poverty incidence of 26.7%. The young and the middle-aged choose to work elsewhere, because of better opportunity, while those left in the village are mostly illiterate or lacking in skills. For these remaining individuals, earning a living is more difficult. Traditional planting and breeding can only sustain their daily life but cannot bring them additional income. The younger generation has no choice but to move out; meanwhile, those who are left are mostly elderly people without families. Poverty caused by disease, disability, or higher education is very common. [Photo by Wang Wen & Liu Xingfa]