Better Houses, Better Lives: Relocation Brings Happiness for Villagers in Guangxi

Zhang Meixiang and her children pose for a photo at the front door of their new house inside a poverty-relief resettlement site in Xia'ao Town of Du'an Yao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Aug. 18, 2020. [Xinhua/Cao Yiming]

By the end of 2019, a total of 20 poverty-relief resettlement sites had been constructed in Du'an Yao Autonomous County of Guangxi, with more than 45,000 people relocated to new houses in towns with convenient traffic, better environment and modern facilities.

NANNING, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) — Du'an Yao Autonomous County in south China's Guangxi is known as the "rocky kingdom," as 89 percent of its lands are covered by karst mountains.

Suffering from rocky desertification, Du'an has low agricultural yields. This, coupled with poor transportation, makes it one of the most impoverished counties in Guangxi.

Locals used to live deep in bare rock mountains without paved roads, tap water or electricity. They had to grow corn and rear livestock to sustain a meager living.

In this combo photo, the upper taken on Oct. 12, 2017 shows Yuan Chaoqiang and his wife Luo Lanxiang standing near a water tank in Jiaba Village, and the lower taken on Aug. 18, 2020 shows Luo washing vegetables with tap water in the kitchen of her new house inside a poverty-relief resettlement site, in Xia'ao Town of Du'an Yao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. [Xinhua/Lu Boan]

In this combo photo, the upper taken on Oct. 11, 2017 shows Yu Wanhe making a fire in his former residence in Jianliang Village, and the lower taken on Aug. 19, 2020 shows Yu cooking a dish in the kitchen of his new house inside a poverty-relief resettlement site, in Sanzhiyang Town of Du'an Yao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. [Xinhua/Lu Boan]

Since the long and bumpy journeys to the nearest hospital were costly, villagers were not even willing to see a doctor unless their healthy conditions became too critical.

Kids in the mountainous areas knew nothing about the outside world. They often played around in shabby clothes, without a kindergarten to go to. When they reached school age, they had to trek hours to attend classes.

For the people here living in inaccessible, uninhabitable and disaster-prone areas, relocation has become the last but also the most effective resort to relieve poverty.

In this combo photo, the upper taken by Lu Boan on Feb. 10, 2017 shows the former residence of Wei Aiwen in Santuan Village, and the lower taken by Zhou Hua on Aug. 18, 2020 shows an aerial view of a poverty-relief resettlement site that Wei's family has moved into, in Dongmiao Town of Du'an Yao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. [Xinhua]

In this combo photo, the upper taken on Feb. 10, 2017 shows Wei Aiwen (2nd L) and her family sitting at the front door of their former residence in Santuan Village, and the lower taken with a drone on Aug. 18, 2020 shows part of a residential block where Wei and her granddaughter Meng Huan stand on the balcony of their new house inside a poverty-relief resettlement site, in Dongmiao Town of Du'an Yao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. [Xinhua/Lu Boan]

By the end of 2019, a total of 20 poverty-relief resettlement sites had been constructed in the county, with more than 45,000 people relocated to new houses in towns with convenient traffic, better environment and modern facilities.

Each family was provided a house with electricity, gas, tap water and flush toilets. The relocation communities were also equipped with all sorts of infrastructure including clinics, kindergartens, schools, basketball courts and service centers.

Children have fun in a poverty-relief resettlement site in Xia'ao Town of Du'an Yao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Aug. 18, 2020. [Xinhua/Cao Yiming]

Children walk in a poverty-relief resettlement site in Xia'ao Town of Du'an Yao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Aug. 18, 2020. [Xinhua/Zhou Hua]

Improved healthcare service makes it easier for people to seek medical help if they don't feel good. With new homes being closer to schools, children no longer have to trudge a long distance for schooling.

Restaurants, hair salons and grocery stores have mushroomed in the relocation sites. Workshops have been established nearby and public welfare centers have been offered, which enabled the relocated residents to work at their doorsteps.

In the future, the county will make further efforts in developing specialty industries and labor-intensive sectors to help the relocated improve their living conditions.

In this combo photo, the upper taken on Oct. 12, 2017 shows Yuan Chaoqiang and his wife Luo Lanxiang standing in the kitchen of their former residence in Jiaba Village, and the lower taken on Aug. 18, 2020 shows the couple cleaning the kitchen of their new house inside a poverty-relief resettlement site, in Xia'ao Town of Du'an Yao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. [Xinhua/Lu Boan]

In this combo photo, the upper taken by Lu Boan on Feb. 9, 2017 shows Zhang Meixiang and her daughter Bai Yulu making a fire in their former residence in Jiaba Village, and the lower taken by Zhou Hua on Aug. 18, 2020 shows Zhang and Bai cooking a dish with a gas cooker in the kitchen of their new house inside a poverty-relief resettlement site, in Xia'ao Town of Du'an Yao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. [Xinhua]

Aerial photo taken on Aug. 18, 2020 shows a view of a poverty-relief resettlement site in Dongmiao Town of Du'an Yao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. [Xinhua/Cao Yiming]

In this combo photo, the upper taken on Oct. 11, 2017 shows an aerial view of a residential cluster in Longyatun, a hamlet in Jianliang Village, and the lower taken on Aug. 19, 2020 shows an aerial view of a poverty-relief resettlement site that many villagers previously living in Longyatun have moved into, in Sanzhiyang Town of Du'an Yao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. [Xinhua/Lu Boan]

Children have fun in a poverty-relief resettlement site in Xia'ao Town of Du'an Yao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Aug. 18, 2020. [Xinhua/Zhou Hua]

In this combo photo, the upper taken on Feb. 9, 2017 shows Bai Yulu, daughter of Zhang Meixiang, doing homework in her former residence in Jiaba Village, and the lower taken on Aug. 18, 2020 shows Bai reading a book in her new house inside a poverty-relief resettlement site, in Xia'ao Town of Du'an Yao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. [Xinhua/Lu Boan]

In this combo photo, the left taken on Oct. 11, 2017 shows Yu Wanhe sitting on the doorstep of his former residence in Jianliang Village, and the right taken on Aug. 19, 2020 shows Yu sitting at the front door of his new house inside a poverty-relief resettlement site, in Sanzhiyang Town of Du'an Yao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. [Xinhua/Lu Boan]

In this combo photo, the upper taken by Lu Boan on Oct. 11, 2017 shows Liao Zhenyi walking downstairs outside his former residence in Jianliang Village, and the lower taken by Cao Yiming on Aug. 19, 2020 shows Liao and his children strolling in a poverty-relief resettlement site, in Sanzhiyang Town of Du'an Yao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. [Xinhua]

Children have fun in a poverty-relief resettlement site in Xia'ao Town of Du'an Yao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Aug. 18, 2020. [Xinhua/Cao Yiming]

Aerial photo taken on Aug. 18, 2020 shows a view of a poverty-relief resettlement site in Xia'ao Town of Du'an Yao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. [Xinhua/Cao Yiming]

(Source: Xinhua)