Tree-planting project spreads green to desert

A solar power farm in Kubuqi Desert. [Photo by Zou Hong/China Daily]

Over the past three decades, more than 100,000 local residents have been lifted out of poverty thanks to the afforestation project and other desert industries in Kubuqi. And average annual income per capita for impoverished families has risen from less than 400 to 15,000 yuan.

"In the past, we were so poor you young people could not imagine. In one family with three children, there was only one pair of pants. So only one child could go outside at a time," Chen said.

"As there was no road in the desert, children went to school from the age of 12 or 13. When we got ill, we could not go to the hospital and had to eat painkillers or give injections to ourselves to ease the pain."

Now most people in his village have moved into new houses, and have stable incomes from tree planting and other jobs, Chen said.

"The natural environment has improved a lot."

"In the past, vegetation was scarce and could support only a few animals. One family could only raise a maximum of a few cows and goats, but now a large farm could rear up to 500 cows," he said.

"I thank the government and Elion Group for changing my life, and I want to continue planting trees to further improve the environment of Kubuqi."