Disabled couple shake off poverty through hard work

Lu Yuanrong and his wife Shi Jinhua have lunch at home in Shangtang Village of Luxin Township in Wuxuan County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, June 17, 2020. Born in the 1970s, the disabled couple Lu Yuanrong and Shi Jinhua were registered as an impoverished household in 2015. To improve the family's financial situation, Lu and his wife got a low-interest loan of 50,000 yuan (about 7,058 U.S. dollars) in 2016 to start their own business. They raised three cows and over 600 ducks, as well as planted corn, rice and peanuts. The family dropped the "poverty-stricken" label by the end of that year. Lu also led more than 20 poverty-stricken households to raise livestock, in an effort to help them shake off poverty. In 2018, Lu's family was recognized as a model of poverty alleviation by the local authorities. The family's income increased to about 60,000 yuan (about 8,478 U.S. dollars) last year. "Hard work and diligence bring a bright life," said Lu. (Xinhua/Cao Yiming)