Elion turns the Kubuqi Desert into an oasis (1)

“Between the vast sky and land, flocks and herds appear as grass bends to wind.” The local people enjoy recalling the old Kubuqi by chanting this poem, and raising livestock is still the tradition in Hangjin.

For Su Chengyong’s family from Hangjin Nur Village, raising sheep is essential. Their 60 sheep provide the major source of their income. Su and his wife cannot go out to work as a result of ill health, and they were classified as a national low-income family in 2015. Last year, the local government gave them 10 ewes, and Elion gave each low-income household 10 ewes and 1 breeding ram. As Su explains, the breed is a crucial element in determining how many months it takes for the lambs to mature. Su also bought 40 sheep with an interest-free government loan. These sheep give hopes of a more prosperous life to Su and other local people. [Photo by Yang Jia]