Woman's living conditions begin to improve after joining poverty alleviation project in Shandong

Yu Shu'ai tends apple trees in an orchard by the Qingfengling reservoir in Anzhuang Township of Juxian County, Rizhao, east China's Shandong Province, May 12, 2020. When Yu Shu'ai lost her husband in 2012, life turned downright hard -- the medical bills had drained all her family savings, leaving Yu and her son in financial strain. In 2014, when the local government of Anzhuang invited Yu to join one of the township's poverty alleviation projects, her living conditions began to improve. To help impoverished people shake off poverty, Anzhuang resettled registered poor rural villagers who resided in the Qingfengling reservoir area, including Yu's family, and took advantage of the reservoir's water resources to develop multiple businesses such as orchards, tea plantations, wineries and hostels, using lands circulated from the resettled villagers. Under the project, Yu moved to Dingguo Bihu, a resettlement community, and became re-employed in new careers: processing tea leaves, planting grapes, tending apple trees. Besides salaries, Yu and her son are also entitled to dividends from the government-backed poverty alleviation businesses, as well as microcredit gains, resettlement subsidies and poor single mother allowances. Their annual family income has exceeded 30,000 yuan (4,224 U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Wang Kai)