Luo Cuimei (L), a woman entrepreneur born in a village of Luocheng Mulam Autonomous County in China's Southwest Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, sorts out packaging bags for her products in the workshop on May 7. [Xinhua/Cao Yiming]

Luo Cuimei, who was born in the 1980s, grew up in an impoverished family in Luocheng Mulam Autonomous County of Southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. She earned a living by selling vegetables and clothes, but remained preoccupied with starting her own business in her hometown.

Luo went home after working in East China's Zhejiang Province in 2008, and she opened a store together with other partners. She purchased native specialties from local farmers and sold them in the store. In 2015, she founded an ecological farming cooperative which helped the local villagers increase their profits.

Luo, aware of the great potential of e-commerce, founded an electronic commerce company in 2016. She created a business model to close the gap between farmers and customers through the Internet platform. She has led more than 6,000 impoverished households to increase their income.

At present, Luo employs more than 150 local residents, including more than 100 from low-income families.  

"I will continue to work hard to sell high-quality local products in my hometown and lift more people out of poverty," Luo said.

Luo Cuimei packages products ordered by customers in her workshop on May 7. [Xinhua/Cao Yiming]

Luo Cuimei (R) works with an assistant to arrange the new products for display on May 7. [Xinhua/Cao Yiming]

Luo Cuimei (L) checks the growth of kiwi fruit with a farmer at a kiwi planting base in Luocheng Mulam Autonomous County in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on May 8. [Xinhua/Cao Yiming]

Luo Cuimei (R) and her assistant promote Wucai glutinous rice, a local specialty, via a live-streaming platform on May 8. [Xinhua/Cao Yiming]

(Source: Xinhua/Translated and edited by Women of China)