Disabled couple in Qinglong, Guizhou escape poverty through pig farming
In Qinglong Group, Wenfeng Community, Liancheng Subdistrict, Qinglong County, Qianxinan Prefecture, Guizhou Province, there is a couple: the husband, Yang Xuezhong, has congenital lower-limb disability and supports his entire body with his hands resting on a homemade wooden frame to move around; his wife, Li Shaozhen, is also disabled, suffering from congenital polio. Fate did not make the couple give in. Relying on their own tenacious willpower and hardworking hands, the two of them support a large family of 9 people, and life is lived with real relish.
In the early spring season, the festive atmosphere of the New Year had not yet faded. Setting out from Qinglong County town, it takes about 50 minutes to reach Wenfeng Community in Liancheng Subdistrict. Walking into Qinglong Group of the community, one sees a tile-roofed house built of stone and a neat row of pig pens. This is the home of Yang Xuezhong and his wife.
Yang Xuezhong's wife, Li Shaozhen, was busy at the doorway leaning on a cane. After the purpose of the visit was explained, she warmly invited the reporter inside.
"Did you grow all of these yourselves?" Seeing the main room piled with corn all along one wall, the reporter asked in surprise.
"Yes, my husband and I grew all of these ourselves. Not only do we grow corn ourselves, there is also a lot of green vegetables in the fields that we grew ourselves," Li Shaozhen said a little shyly.
"Your family must have had a comfortable New Year this year, curing so much bacon."
"That is true, but for this we also have to thank the Party committee and the government for their care and support." As she said this, an unmistakable pride and joy appeared on Li Shaozhen's face.
"I plan to let these four sows give birth to piglets." Yang Xuezhong, who was building a pig pen, saw that someone had come to the house and put down the work in his hands to speak.
The four pig pens were cleaned very neatly, and each one housed four plump sows. Yang Xuezhong explained that in 2016, with the help of subdistrict officials, he applied for a 50,000-yuan "preferential loan" and began raising pigs.
"Building the pig pens and buying the piglets cost 30,000 yuan in total. After 4 months of raising them, 11 were sold before the New Year. The average price for one was about 3,400 yuan, so that was 37,400 yuan. After deducting costs, although I did not make much money, I gained 4 big sows. These 4 sows can keep giving birth to piglets. I am expanding the pig pens right now, preparing to grow the operation," Yang Xuezhong said of his plans.
"Both of us are in poor health and cannot do much heavy work. We wanted to start a business but had no financial support. Thanks to the country's good policies and the enthusiasm of the officials, who helped us apply for an interest-free loan. If we had relied only on ourselves, it would have been very difficult to develop to where we are today." Speaking of the process of raising pigs, Yang Xuezhong and his wife said with deep feeling.
"Once the pig pens are built, the sows will be about ready to give birth to piglets, which is just right. By then I will buy 20 more piglets to raise together with them."
"I am not worried about the bricks for building the pig pens. The village has already contacted a brick factory for me. I can buy on credit first, and after selling the pigs and having money, I will pay the brick factory back."
"We just want to live a good life by raising pigs."
As for their plans for 2017, Yang Xuezhong and his wife are full of confidence.
The couple's plans also coincide with the subdistrict's poverty-alleviation assistance. "Both husband and wife are disabled, but they are very diligent, so within the scope of policy, we will give them priority support and help the couple escape poverty and become better off as soon as possible through raising pigs," said Wu Qiangxiu, secretary of the Party Working Committee of Liancheng Subdistrict.