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Gonpo’s story of overcoming poverty
By:China Tibet News
update:May 12,2020
May 12,2020 -- 32-year-old Gonpo, a worker of Nyalshung Farmers and Herdsmen Handicraft Processing Cooperative, is a disabled person from Lhunze County of Shannan City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. Before he worked in the cooperative, he hardly had opportunity to work outside because of his physical disability, which once made him losing hope in life.
 
Gonpo and his parents' average annual income was about 2,096 yuan RMB in 2015, mainly from various policy subsidies, including eco-compensation, grassland subsidy, disability benefits, old-age pension, etc. "At that time, it was difficult to find a suitable job because of my poor health and the lack of skills. With very limited income, we could only afford basic daily necessities." says Gonpo.
 
In view of this situation, Gonpo's family was registered as a poor household in 2016. With the help of the local Party and government, he was assigned to work as an apprentice in the county's Nyalshung Farmers and Herdsmen Handicraft Processing Cooperative.
 
Relying on local seabuckthorn forest resources, Nyalshung Farmers and Herdsmen Handicraft Processing Cooperative was established in 2014. "In the past, we planted a lot of seabuckthorn trees to prevent and control desertification. Now many of them are used in making ethnic handicrafts. In recent years, we have planned to cut down some seabuckthorn trees to make handicrafts such as butter barrels and Zanba buckets, which are sold to Shannan, Xigaze, Lhasa and other places," says Badro from the cooperative.
 
Gonpo had many worries when he first came to the cooperative. "Badro is very kind, always patiently guides us. Yet he is very strict with the quality of our products," says Gonpo.
 
In the cooperative, he has learned craft of making wood and established self-confidence in living a good life. "Now, I am a regular worker of the cooperative with a monthly payment of 3,000 yuan RMB, plus bonuses of 300 yuan to 500 yuan RMB," he says.
 
In 2017, with stable income, his family got rid of poverty, and their lives were getting better and better. Currently, his parents engage in farming; he works in the cooperative. His greatest wish is to improve his skill, make his products better, get more bonuses, as well as live a better life.
 
"Gonpo has been working very hard and achieving great progress in the cooperative. On the whole, he is a careful and conscientious person. I believe he will become better and better in the future," Badro says with a smile.
 
By:Liu Fang, He Huizhong
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