Reform pioneer helps build road to riches for village's poorest

Yu Liufen, a grassroots official in the deep mountains of Guizhou province, transformed impoverished Yanbo village into a renowned production base for stone bricks and liquor.

Yu is a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, top political advisory body of China.

Her story of bringing wealth to the poor by developing industries adds to the national goal of lifting all people out of poverty by 2020.

Yu, 50, was appointed Party chief of Yanbo village, Liupanshui city in 2001. At that time, there was no road, water or power supply. The annual income of a local was less than 800 yuan ($119.4). One-third of villagers could hardly feed themselves. The village was also in debt.

There is an old saying: "The first step to wealth is to build a road." Yu believed a channel to the outside world was essential, but not all people agreed.

"We were too poor to afford guests a cup of tea at that time. We had doubts when we were told to give up land, trees and other materials to build a road," said Xiao Bengao, a local.

Yu worked day and night as project manager and construction worker for the road. She even used her own 20,000 yuan to buy building materials. She persuaded families to move one by one.

After three months, a road 4 kilometers long and 3 meters wide was built. Yu and villagers later built 11 roads, which changed the muddy and dusty traffic conditions and laid the foundation for further industrial development.

She found business potential in the village's resources of forests - suitable for fruit-tree planting - and the natural scenery ripe for developing rural tourism and coal mines.

In 2003, a coal stone brick factory was built to use the waste materials of the coal mines, to help reduce pollution and provide jobs.

She also offered support to villagers. In 2010, farmer Yuan Huiying contacted Yu, saying more than 10,000 chickens of hers were infected with cholera.

"Yu came to our house and helped us solve many problems," said Yuan. "She told me not to be afraid of failure and we can always start over."

Two years later, the profit of Yuan's farm surpassed 400,000 yuan.

The village also has a tradition of brewing baijiu, or Chinese spirit. In 2016, the Guizhou Yanbo Wine Co was founded, with villagers as shareholders.

"This year, the annual sale is expected to exceed 300 million yuan, 100 times higher than that in previous years," she said.

In 2018, the average annual income of villagers reached 18,600 yuan. Total assets reached 76 million yuan. Yanbo village has now become known as a representative of an economically advanced, civilized and well-off village.

Yu was titled "reform pioneer" at the celebration event of the 40th anniversary of reform and opening-up by the central government in December 2018.

This year, Yu, as a national political advisor, made a proposal about enhancing information network construction in rural areas.

She suggested that a special fund should be allocated every year to support information and network building in villages. She also suggested investing more human, financial and material resources in infrastructure construction.

Zhao Yandi contributed to this story.