Innovation sparks the business dream of a Tibetan student
By Yang Jia
Original, GPIG, 02-26-2018
Located in Lhasa, capital of southwest China’s Tibet Autonomous Region, Siji Jixiang Village is one of the first settlements for relocated villagers from various places, especially mountainous areas in the county. The newly built village has been equipped with education, healthcare, and entertainment facilities, and job opportunities have been created for the residents.
To foster new drivers of economic growth, Siji Jixiang actively responds to Premier Li Keqiang’s call for mass entrepreneurship and innovation, to which the village’s innovative and venture base serves as a key contributor.
Having just graduated this past June from the Agricultural and Animal Husbandry College of Tibet University, Ngawang Dhondup chose to be an entrepreneur in the base. In fact, his business ventures began in his third year of university.
In 2013, Dhondup left for college with 2,000 yuan (U.S. $300). A major of agriculture and forestry management, he was exempted of tuition. However, even with the financial aid, Dhondup found that all the money he brought with him was soon spent. His father sent more, but Dhondup learnt of the heavy financial burden on his family and started to work part-time. Helping with interior decor in hotels and tutoring during summer vacations, Dhondup not only afforded the rest of all his college expenses but also managed to save up 30,000 yuan (U.S. $4,600).
Adept at observing, Dhondup realized that local students need to take notes in both Tibetan and Chinese. Struck by inspiration, he designed a Tibetan-Chinese notebook with practical information like quotes and aphorisms in both languages as well as a Tibetan keyboard layout. Before the new term, Dhondup spent 10,000 yuan (U.S. $1,500) making the first 1,500 notebooks. And they were sold out in just two days, bringing in 12,000 yuan (U.S. $1,900).
After the second batch of 1,500 notebooks, the third batch of 3,000 was also sold out, bringing Dhondup an income of 30,000 yuan (U.S. $4,600). This time, the cover was changed from sky blue to coffee brown with a picture of children and dogs running on the plateau grasslands.
A total of 3,000 exercise books for Tibetan handwriting were also developed as a new product along with the third batch. Aligned mostly horizontally on vertical layouts, the initial fields were of a length and size unsuitable for Tibetan writing. After consulting with Tibetan language experts, Dhondup redesigned the book, catering for three Tibetan writing styles. The amended books were sold out in 21 days, bringing in 20,000 yuan (U.S. $3,100) for him.
An entrepreneur in the village, Dhondup enjoys free office space and lodging, and even free meals. With two assistants currently working for him, Dhondup hopes to provide more job opportunities for villagers in the future.
Tibet is one of the first in China to offer 15 years of free education from kindergarten to high school. Dhondup appreciates all the education he has received and regards his middle school and university education as life-changing. While in middle school in Lhasa, after experiencing difficulty communicating with his classmates in Mandarin, Dhondup joined the school broadcasting team to force himself to practice. He soon became the team leader, and language was no longer a barrier for communication. The computer skills—especially those with image processing—he learned in university clubs made it possible for him to design the notebooks.
This year, Tibet Autonomous Region emphasizes policies and measures to encourage people, especially college graduates, to launch businesses and innovate. College graduate entrepreneurs can benefit from favorable policies in startup capital, loan support, tax rates, social insurance, and housing subsidies. Moreover, eligible individuals can obtain financial support up to 50,000 yuan (U.S. $7,700).
Dhondup, a college graduate entrepreneur in Siji Jixiang Village [Photo by Yang Jia/China.org.cn]
While sharing his life story, Dhondup expresses gratitude for the favorable and supportive policies provided by local government. [Photo by Yang Jia/China.org.cn]
With his products in hand, Dhondup is full of pep and morale. [Photo by Yang Jia/China.org.cn]
Dhondup hopes his project can employ more villagers in the future, to lift them out of poverty. [Photo by Yang Jia/China.org.cn]
Dhondup smiles happily under the sun. [Photo by Yang Jia/China.org.cn]
The article was translated by Jin Ling and its original unabridged version was published in Chinese.
By Yang Jia
Original, GPIG, 02-26-2018
Located in Lhasa, capital of southwest China’s Tibet Autonomous Region, Siji Jixiang Village is one of the first settlements for relocated villagers from various places, especially mountainous areas in the county. The newly built village has been equipped with education, healthcare, and entertainment facilities, and job opportunities have been created for the residents.
To foster new drivers of economic growth, Siji Jixiang actively responds to Premier Li Keqiang’s call for mass entrepreneurship and innovation, to which the village’s innovative and venture base serves as a key contributor.
Having just graduated this past June from the Agricultural and Animal Husbandry College of Tibet University, Ngawang Dhondup chose to be an entrepreneur in the base. In fact, his business ventures began in his third year of university.
In 2013, Dhondup left for college with 2,000 yuan (U.S. $300). A major of agriculture and forestry management, he was exempted of tuition. However, even with the financial aid, Dhondup found that all the money he brought with him was soon spent. His father sent more, but Dhondup learnt of the heavy financial burden on his family and started to work part-time. Helping with interior decor in hotels and tutoring during summer vacations, Dhondup not only afforded the rest of all his college expenses but also managed to save up 30,000 yuan (U.S. $4,600).
Adept at observing, Dhondup realized that local students need to take notes in both Tibetan and Chinese. Struck by inspiration, he designed a Tibetan-Chinese notebook with practical information like quotes and aphorisms in both languages as well as a Tibetan keyboard layout. Before the new term, Dhondup spent 10,000 yuan (U.S. $1,500) making the first 1,500 notebooks. And they were sold out in just two days, bringing in 12,000 yuan (U.S. $1,900).
After the second batch of 1,500 notebooks, the third batch of 3,000 was also sold out, bringing Dhondup an income of 30,000 yuan (U.S. $4,600). This time, the cover was changed from sky blue to coffee brown with a picture of children and dogs running on the plateau grasslands.
A total of 3,000 exercise books for Tibetan handwriting were also developed as a new product along with the third batch. Aligned mostly horizontally on vertical layouts, the initial fields were of a length and size unsuitable for Tibetan writing. After consulting with Tibetan language experts, Dhondup redesigned the book, catering for three Tibetan writing styles. The amended books were sold out in 21 days, bringing in 20,000 yuan (U.S. $3,100) for him.
An entrepreneur in the village, Dhondup enjoys free office space and lodging, and even free meals. With two assistants currently working for him, Dhondup hopes to provide more job opportunities for villagers in the future.
Tibet is one of the first in China to offer 15 years of free education from kindergarten to high school. Dhondup appreciates all the education he has received and regards his middle school and university education as life-changing. While in middle school in Lhasa, after experiencing difficulty communicating with his classmates in Mandarin, Dhondup joined the school broadcasting team to force himself to practice. He soon became the team leader, and language was no longer a barrier for communication. The computer skills—especially those with image processing—he learned in university clubs made it possible for him to design the notebooks.
This year, Tibet Autonomous Region emphasizes policies and measures to encourage people, especially college graduates, to launch businesses and innovate. College graduate entrepreneurs can benefit from favorable policies in startup capital, loan support, tax rates, social insurance, and housing subsidies. Moreover, eligible individuals can obtain financial support up to 50,000 yuan (U.S. $7,700).
Dhondup, a college graduate entrepreneur in Siji Jixiang Village [Photo by Yang Jia/China.org.cn]
While sharing his life story, Dhondup expresses gratitude for the favorable and supportive policies provided by local government. [Photo by Yang Jia/China.org.cn]
With his products in hand, Dhondup is full of pep and morale. [Photo by Yang Jia/China.org.cn]
Dhondup hopes his project can employ more villagers in the future, to lift them out of poverty. [Photo by Yang Jia/China.org.cn]
Dhondup smiles happily under the sun. [Photo by Yang Jia/China.org.cn]
The article was translated by Jin Ling and its original unabridged version was published in Chinese.
