Rabbit Sister Gets Rich and Does Not Forget to Lead Her Sisters to Increase Income Together
“When we lacked funds, they helped us apply for loans; when we lacked skills, they connected us with ‘capable people.’ Our cooperative could not have developed along the way without the help of our sisters from the women's federation.” Speaking to reporters recently about her entrepreneurial journey, “Rabbit Sister” Ma Xiaowen was full of emotion.
When Ma Xiaowen is mentioned, many women in Yujia Town, Yushu City, give a thumbs-up. Ma Xiaowen, affectionately called “Rabbit Sister” by everyone, not only became wealthy through rabbit farming but also led many rural women in the town to get rich together.
“Waitress, sales assistant, tailor, small grain trader…… before returning to my hometown, I did all kinds of work.” In 1992, Ma Xiaowen, then a high school graduate, came to the city to work. In her own words, although she did not achieve any great success, she did earn some small money and accumulated some entrepreneurial experience.
In 2006, the state introduced preferential policies to support the breeding industry. Seizing the opportunity, Ma Xiaowen began her career as “Rabbit Sister,” purchasing 1,500 breeding rabbits from Shandong and founding Yulong Rabbit Industry Development Co., Ltd. However, the road to entrepreneurship was not smooth sailing.
“At that time, because I had no experience, I quickly lost more than 100,000 yuan and nearly lost all my family's savings.” Though her business hit obstacles, Ma Xiaowen did not give up. With the help of the women's federation, she learned skills, conducted research, brought in professional talent, and through unremitting efforts eventually created the business model of “company + base + farmers.” Now, Yulong Company has become a comprehensive enterprise integrating the breeding and reproduction of pharmaceutical raw material rabbits, rex rabbits and meat rabbits, as well as the production of rabbit housing and cages and feed processing.
“My sisters helped fuel my entrepreneurship, so I should of course contribute to helping more sisters get rich.” To lead the sisters in her area, in 2008 Ma Xiaowen took the lead in establishing the Yushu City Yulong Breeding Professional Cooperative and served as its director. Up to now, the company and cooperative have solved employment problems for more than 100 people, led more than 200 people in the surrounding area onto the road to wealth, and their farming households have spread across more than 10 counties (cities) in Northeast China. Each year they can provide 80,000 breeding rabbits and 1 million commercial rabbits to society, with profits reaching more than 2 million yuan.
Women are not synonymous with frailty. Not only do women's unique carefulness, ability to endure hardship and perseverance let them open unique paths in their careers, but their kind nature also keeps them from forgetting to give back to society.