The Women's Poverty Alleviation Forum is held by the All-China Women's Federation in Beijing on October 14. [Women of China/Fan Wenjun]

The Women's Poverty Alleviation Forum was held by the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF) in Beijing on October 14, to mark the seventh National Poverty Relief Day which falls on October 17.

The forum aimed to summarize and exchange women's experience in poverty alleviation, share the stories of women's poverty relief work, and show women's achievements in the battle against poverty.

At the forum, Ou Qingping, Director of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development, outlined the current progress in poverty alleviation.

Zhang Dongmei, Member of the Secretariat of the ACWF, spoke at the forum. Zhang noted that the ACWF has implemented the spirit of the important speeches on poverty alleviation delivered by General Secretary Xi Jinping and given great impetus to the Women's Action for Poverty Alleviation.

Zhang said that the ACWF has guided the women's federations at all levels to lift people out of poverty through improving their skills by means of training sessions, ensuring income increase for people in poverty through the poverty relief work focusing on development of industries and the employment of impoverished people.

The women's federations at all levels have paid attention to disadvantaged people and given them care and help. More than 10 million women have been organized to participate in poverty-alleviation training sessions, and four million impoverished women have increased their incomes and been lifted out of poverty, Zhang added.

Lu Jing, Vice-President of the Women's Federation of Fujian Province, in Southeast China, speaks at the forum. [Women of China/Fan Wenjun]

During the forum, women role models in poverty alleviation, cadres of women's federations and representatives of charity organizations shared their stories and experience of poverty relief work.

"We have established 678 provincial-level women's demonstration bases according to local conditions across the province, cooperated with financial institutions to promote women's startup loans, and made continuous efforts to organize public-welfare activities for impoverished mothers with cervical and/or breast cancers," said Lu Jing, Vice-President of the Women's Federation of Fujian Province, in Southeast China.

Lu introduced a provincial-level poverty-alleviation action which aims to help women strengthen confidence in their own ability to get rid of poverty and access the education they need, develop trickle irrigation agriculture, and enhance collaboration on poverty eradication between the eastern and western regions.

The women's federation will make all-out efforts to advance the women's poverty-alleviation action and contribute to winning the battle against poverty, Lu added.

Jia Li, President of the Women's Federation of Zhaojue County, Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Southwest China's Sichuan Province, shares the work of the county's women's federation on poverty alleviation. [Women of China/Fan Wenjun]

Jia Li, President of the Women's Federation of Zhaojue County, Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Southwest China's Sichuan Province, shared the experience of the county's women's federation in lifting women out of poverty through guiding rural women and families to develop healthy living habits and civilized lifestyles, as well as establishing a dynamic monitoring mechanism for people in difficulty.

Wang Xiling, head of an agricultural cooperative in Fufeng County, Baoji City, Northwest China's Shaanxi Province, speaks at the forum. [Women of China/Fan Wenjun]

"When I was in difficulty, the Party, the government and the women's federation cared for me and helped me out of poverty. I will continue to give back to society and contribute to the battle against poverty," said Wang Xiling, head of an agricultural cooperative in Fufeng County, Baoji City, Northwest China's Shaanxi Province. From an impoverished woman who had received help from others to a role model of leading others to shake off poverty, Wang shared her poverty relief story at the forum.

Lü Miaoxia, head of a planting cooperative in Mengjin County, Luoyang City, Central China's Henan Province, shared her experience of leading villagers to shake off poverty and become rich at the forum. [Women of China/Fan Wenjun]

Lü Miaoxia, head of a planting cooperative in Mengjin County, Luoyang City, Central China's Henan Province, has employed more than 5,000 people, 90 percent of whom are women, to work in her strawberry greenhouses.

"I established a strawberry planting base and employed local villagers. I also set up a cooperative to motivate the local people to start their own businesses. I ran an agricultural skills training school to guide the locals become rich through mastering agricultural skills," said Lü. "Besides leading local people to get rich, I have an ambition to make the farmer a profession that everyone admires and make the countryside a paradise that everyone longs for."

Cheng Ju, secretary of the Party branch of Dashi Village, Chongyang County, Xianning City, Central China's Hubei Province, speaks at the forum. [Women of China/Fan Wenjun]

Cheng Ju, secretary of the Party branch of Dashi Village, Chongyang County, Xianning City, Central China's Hubei Province, shared her efforts in women's work.

During her door-to-door visits, Cheng found that many women had a strong desire to work near home. Given her efforts, a poverty alleviation workshop was established in the village, which helped women in the village get jobs at their doorsteps.

"I will encourage more women to earn more money and contribute to the rural revitalization in the new era," said Cheng.

Zhang Jianmin, Secretary-General of China Women's Development Foundation, shared the experience and achievements of public-welfare projects such as the Water Cellar for Mothers in helping women get rid of poverty.

Zhang said that public-welfare projects are supposed to help women strengthen confidence in shaking off poverty and improve their skills.

Li Qian, director of the policy and regulation research office of Alibaba, a Chinese e-commerce giant, presented the group's efforts to facilitate women to get jobs and start businesses through the digital economy.

Li said that the group will continue to pay attention to the life and development of women in poverty-stricken areas and contribute to the sustainable development of impoverished women.

A photograph and handicraft exhibition to show women's achievements in poverty relief was also held during the forum.

(Source: China Women's News/Translated and edited by Women of China)