"Without government support, we would not have the life we have today," said Dawa Butri, a local herder.

 

Dawa Butri earns 3,000 yuan a year, while her husband, an auxiliary police officer, is paid about 10,000 yuan a year.

 

Together with annual subsidies of over 10,000 yuan from the local government and 4,000 yuan in extra income from making pulu, a traditional Tibetan wool textile, the family's annual income is nearly 30,000 yuan.

 

"Subsidies will increase again by 1,000 yuan this year," she said.

 

Local people like Dawa Butri know better days lie ahead.

 

The government has set up several plants to process dairy and beef products to help herders increase their income, and low-income families have been given free use of nine vegetable greenhouses to make extra money.

 

Additionally, all villagers will move from their old houses of mud and stone to reinforced steel and concrete dwellings when the weather warms up in May.

 

Twelve-year old Dampa Raje already has a vision for his hometown's future. In his painting, "Pumaqangtang in my heart," snowy mountains tower in the background while lazy cattle dot the green hills. Just outside their beautiful houses, winding asphalt leads them on the path to a new life.