Zhou Long (M) talks with two residents of Boritokay Township in the county of Wuqia, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, April 15, 2020. (Xinhua/Gao Han)
Check out the daily routine of Zhou Long, a young official in charge of poverty alleviation work in a remote township in Xinjiang.
URUMQI, May 31 (Xinhua) -- By 9:00 a.m., the sunlight has traveled across most of the country and finally reached China's westernmost county of Wuqia in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It's time for Zhou Long, 28, to get up for work.
The deputy chief of Boritokay Township is in charge of poverty alleviation work, an indispensable position on the Pamir Plateau, one of the most deprived areas in this remote region. Although all 1,760 households in Boritokay had been lifted above the national poverty line for a year by the time Zhou arrived here, it doesn't mean the college graduate has nothing to do. It's his responsibility to make sure no one slips below that economic threshold again.
It's his second year in Boritokay, and Zhou has a daily routine. The first thing on the list, Zhou meets his team at 10:00 a.m. and allocates the day's tasks. Before anyone sets out to work, Zhou reminds them of their responsibility to find out what local families need.
Each township poverty alleviation official is assigned several families. Zhou is most concerned about the vulnerable who might fall below the poverty line. As planned, he spends the whole morning going door to door to visit these families.
Abdurazaq Bayjan's mother has been admitted to a hospital in the city. Worried the medical expenses might break him, Zhou has been a frequent visitor to the herder's home.
Luckily for Abdurazaq, health insurance covers 95 percent of his mother's hospital bills, and he has just expanded his herd to 90 sheep, plus two cattle. Reassured Zhou schedules another visit for next week.
"The details matter" is Zhou's motto. "Nip the problem in the bud," he says, "so that no one in Boritokay will be left behind by the end of this year."
China aims to eradicate absolute poverty by the end of 2020. In Xinjiang, close to 3 million impoverished people, like those in Boritokay, had cast off poverty from 2014 to 2019. The region is determined to lift the remaining 165,800 people out of poverty this year.
After Abdurazaq's home, Zhou calls on Jumehan Mutanlip, a widow whose only son is in college. The township has offered her a public service job with a monthly salary of 2,000 yuan (282 U.S. dollars), and she also earns dividends from her 30 sheep, which she commissioned to a village cooperative. Her son also benefits from a government grant of 3,000 yuan that covers his annual college tuition fees.
Jumehan tells Zhou she's content, but Zhou still thinks the family is vulnerable and needs more attention.
"The family's situation will greatly improve when her son graduates and gets a job," he says.
Zhou Long (L) teaches a resident of Boritokay Township to do farmwork in the county of Wuqia, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, April 15, 2020. (Xinhua/Gao Han)
After a quick spot of lunch, Zhou checks the local greenhouses and animal enclosures.
Most of the residents of Boritokay come from nomadic backgrounds, living in log cabins or temporary houses, with no electricity or tap water. To improve their lives, a new settlement has been built, with roads, the Internet, a kindergarten, a primary school, and a clinic. Many herders have transitioned to farming.
Sowing is in full swing in the 320 newly-built greenhouses. In one, Eskar Elil is busy growing tulips and peonies.
"Flowers sell better than vegetables. City florists have reserved all my flowers," Eskar tells Zhou.
Zhou talks shop with Eskar and bids him farewell.
"The coordination of farming and herding is one of the priorities of our work," Zhou says.
Zhou Long checks a greenhouse in Boritokay Township in the county of Wuqia, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, April 15, 2020. (Xinhua/Gao Han)
When the sun sets, Zhou heads back to the office. The notebook he carries everywhere is full to bursting with notes on everything from the villagers' utility bills to agricultural prices. These notes form the basis of all his decisions going forward.
"Poverty alleviation officials should work in the fields instead of staying in the office," said Zhou, "This would help us help them."
When everyone finishes work, Zhou goes back to his dorm and begins to write his reports. He rarely lies down to sleep until 1:00 a.m. ■
