Young Village Head Calls on Chinese Youth to Power up Rural Development

Zhang Yanzhu, head of Nangao Village, Nanjing County, Zhangzhou City, Southeast China's Fujian Province, found fulfillment in boosting local agricultural products and tourism online. Her show is well-received by users of Douyin, known as TikTok overseas, for her sweet look and voice.

Zhang, born in 1996, became director of the village committee in 2018 after she graduated from the college. She is the youngest village official in Nanjing County.

At the beginning, she found it difficult to make the villagers understand her work. However, she paid door-to-door visits to learn about the villagers' lives and work in great patience, and often stayed up late discussing problems related to local people's livelihood. She finally won the residents' trust and support.

As a new-generation grassroots official, Zhang put her innovative ideas into practice, 
injecting fresh energy into the development of the ancient village which is situated in an old revolutionary base areas. She often posts short videos and holds livestreaming shows to demonstrate the village's beautiful scenery and specialties.

Zhang prioritized the development of high-quality agriculture. She organized e-commerce 
training sessions, and rolled out a cooperation mode of companies, cooperatives and farmers, achieving an increase of nearly one million yuan (US $141,042) in orchid sales.

Meanwhile, Zhang made great efforts in developing the local tourism. She mobilized the locals to improve the village's environment, and gave full play to the nearby sightseeing resources — Fujian Tulou, a type of rural dwelling in the mountainous areas of Fujian Province — to attract travelers to visit the scenic spots in the village. 

Last year, half-marathon races and folk cultural festivals were held in the village, attracting a league of domestic and foreign tourists and sports enthusiasts.

In recent years, more and more entrepreneurs, university students and young people returned to their hometown to further promote the development of Nangao Village. Some donated funds for schools and leisure tourism parks while others helped boost the homegrown orchid industry via e-commerce platforms. 

The village official encouraged more peers to join her. "Rural development requires intellects' support and participation," said Zhang. "In the process of rural revitalization, young people are supposed to remain rooted in grassroots, throw themselves into rural governance and industrial development." 

(Source: chinanews.com/Translated and edited by Women of China)