Innovative cases in poverty alleviation work in Sangzhi County, Hunan Province
Original, GPIG, 02-28-2018
Located in northwestern Hunan, Sangzhi County is a state poverty county, with ethnic minorities like Tujia and Bai making up 92.6% of its population. Besides, it is the center of Hunan-Hubei-Sichuan-Guizhou Revolutionary Base and the starting point of the Red Army’s Second and Sixth Front Armies in the Long March. During the first National Revolution, over 20,000 out of its 100,000 people joined the Red Army. And half of them including five relatives of Marshal He Long sacrificed for the victory of the Communist Party of China.
In July 1988, leaders in Hunan Military District went to Sangzhi to investigate local conditions, only to find that most people there were still living in straw sheds, or even caves and fed their stomach with sweet potatoes, and for the worst off, some of them even had no adequate food, clothing and shelter. Couplets saying “Follow the Communist Party of China” remained on the altar and slogans advocating revolution were still kept on walls. For the next twenty years from then on, Hunan Military District has designated Sangzhi as its sponsor target and has sent cadres to be stationed there to reduce poverty in order to show its gratitude to the martyrs and repay their debt to the old revolutionary base.
As the mission to reduce poverty was arduous in Hunan, it was impossible to fulfill it without concerted efforts. Furthermore, without concerted efforts, peopled practical problems could not be completely resolved either. On that matter, the military district Party committee held a clear-cut attitude: “Sangzhi, the old revolutionary base contributed a lot to the victory of the Revolution. Our troops will never retreat until Sangzhi is out of poverty.”
Over the twenty years, rain or shine, soldiers stationed in Sangzhi have never wavered. Bearing the local people in mind, they have served them heart and soul. More than 57 million yuan of funds and supplies worth more than 10 million yuan were raised to improve the rural infrastructure and traffic conditions as well as to solve the problem of water supply.
“Let education go before poverty.” While making persistent efforts to reduce poverty, Hunan Military District gave priority to education improvement in Sangzhi. The military district made use of every villagers’ assembly and Party’s convention to popularize the Party’s policy related to increasing farmer’s income, and promoting agriculture, farmers and rural areas. Comrades of the military district visited every village and every house, talking with villagers about trivial affairs and methods to increase income. Visits to neighboring well-off villages were also arranged to offer people learning opportunities. The military district also guided people in mapping out a future development plan, making them know of the sound environment for agricultural development. Besides, it held skill training classes, inviting animal husbandry experts, skilled workers, and science and technology experts to the village to teach villagers methods and share experiences and knowledge. Moreover, it also established reading rooms, activity centers and other supporting cultural facilities in villages.
Original, GPIG, 02-28-2018
Located in northwestern Hunan, Sangzhi County is a state poverty county, with ethnic minorities like Tujia and Bai making up 92.6% of its population. Besides, it is the center of Hunan-Hubei-Sichuan-Guizhou Revolutionary Base and the starting point of the Red Army’s Second and Sixth Front Armies in the Long March. During the first National Revolution, over 20,000 out of its 100,000 people joined the Red Army. And half of them including five relatives of Marshal He Long sacrificed for the victory of the Communist Party of China.
In July 1988, leaders in Hunan Military District went to Sangzhi to investigate local conditions, only to find that most people there were still living in straw sheds, or even caves and fed their stomach with sweet potatoes, and for the worst off, some of them even had no adequate food, clothing and shelter. Couplets saying “Follow the Communist Party of China” remained on the altar and slogans advocating revolution were still kept on walls. For the next twenty years from then on, Hunan Military District has designated Sangzhi as its sponsor target and has sent cadres to be stationed there to reduce poverty in order to show its gratitude to the martyrs and repay their debt to the old revolutionary base.
As the mission to reduce poverty was arduous in Hunan, it was impossible to fulfill it without concerted efforts. Furthermore, without concerted efforts, peopled practical problems could not be completely resolved either. On that matter, the military district Party committee held a clear-cut attitude: “Sangzhi, the old revolutionary base contributed a lot to the victory of the Revolution. Our troops will never retreat until Sangzhi is out of poverty.”
Over the twenty years, rain or shine, soldiers stationed in Sangzhi have never wavered. Bearing the local people in mind, they have served them heart and soul. More than 57 million yuan of funds and supplies worth more than 10 million yuan were raised to improve the rural infrastructure and traffic conditions as well as to solve the problem of water supply.
“Let education go before poverty.” While making persistent efforts to reduce poverty, Hunan Military District gave priority to education improvement in Sangzhi. The military district made use of every villagers’ assembly and Party’s convention to popularize the Party’s policy related to increasing farmer’s income, and promoting agriculture, farmers and rural areas. Comrades of the military district visited every village and every house, talking with villagers about trivial affairs and methods to increase income. Visits to neighboring well-off villages were also arranged to offer people learning opportunities. The military district also guided people in mapping out a future development plan, making them know of the sound environment for agricultural development. Besides, it held skill training classes, inviting animal husbandry experts, skilled workers, and science and technology experts to the village to teach villagers methods and share experiences and knowledge. Moreover, it also established reading rooms, activity centers and other supporting cultural facilities in villages.
