The new village is along a plateau river in Lhasa, capital of Tibet Autonomous Region. Its name reflects the heartfelt hopes of some of the poorest people living on the Tibetan Plateau.

 

Sanyou village is the first settlement for 712 people living below the poverty line in Tibet. They moved here last year from infertile land to seek jobs that will keep them out of poverty.

 

In 2006, the Lhasa government spent about 40 million yuan (about 5.7 million U.S. dollars) to build 184 houses on what used to be rocky land. Now the village is administered by Dagar township of Qushui county in Lhasa.

 

Nyima Tsering is one of the members of the Party branch of the village. He takes charge of a dairy farm in the new settlement.

 

As the youngest son of a farmer, Nyima Tsering used to live in a cramped house with his parents, sisters and their families. In 2000, he dropped out of high school when his oldest sister died, in order to take care of her sons.

 

"Disease cost my family a huge fortune. I'm a man, and it is my job to take care of them," he said. Both of Nyima Tsering's parents are in poor health.

 

"I worked in the fields during farming season, and took odd jobs in the city, but no matter how hard I worked, the money I earned today would be used up tomorrow," he said.

 

When an intense anti-poverty campaign started last year, the city government rolled out relocation solutions for poor families like Nyima Tsering's.

 

Sanyou's residents came from 10 villages in Qushui county.

 

"Some people wanted to move into new houses, but many were hesitant at first," said Mao Xin, head of Dagar township.