Oct. 24, 2016 -- This year, a new village was built in just three months in Dagar County, on the shores of Lhasa River. Called “Sanyou (Triple Have) Village,” it is named for having housing, property, and good health. It is the first poverty-alleviation settlement site in Tibet.

In the village, one will notice rows of brightly-colored and unique Tibetan style homes, with khada scarves hanging from every door. Sonam Yangkyi, Deputy County Chief of Dagar County, said that since July of this year, 712 impoverished residents in 184 households, 10 villages, and three counties have begun moving into their new homes; they became the first recipients of the poverty-alleviation settlement program.

"This was still barren land in the Spring.” said Sonam Yangkyi. In order to make more people understand the poverty-allievation settlement policies, program workers have visited every house to explain details of the program, motivated people to join in the settlement construction efforts, and to alleviate any concerns.

Ren Tubten, Deputy Director of the Poverty-alleviation Office in Chushur County, said that in March of 2016, Lhasa has invested almost 100million yuan in building the settlement sites in Dagar County. During the construction, the city has organized all resources so as to provide water, power, transportation, communication, village committee offices, daycare centers, stores, and other public facilities appropriately ahead of time.

The new village also has matching enterprises such as farms for dairy cows, Tibetan chickens, herb gardens, etc., as well as commodity housing, enabling the residents who have moved to have businesses to work on and to profit from. Sonam Yangkyi said the dairy cow business alone could provide jobs for 83 people with 2500 yuan in monthly salary. Every household would also enjoy 3000 yuan in bonus this year.

"All of this is like a dream.” Villager Nyima Tsering has had a series of happy events in his life this year: Moving to a new home, getting married, and becoming a dad. The great fortune has kept his tanned face smiling.

Nyima Tsering’s new home is like a villa to people in the town. The two-story concrete structure is spacious, filled with light, and has a total of more than 140 square meters among the bedroom, living room, and prayer room. Tibetan style furniture neatly decorate the living room, where a pot of chrysanthemum blooms on the Tibetan dresser. Not only has Nyima Tsering gotten a new home, he is also the deputy chairman of the dairy cow co-op in the village; he now has a job near his home.

“Life is fantastic now, we have to appreciate it.” Nyima Tsering’s 78-year-old father often reminded him. When the new village party committee office was formed, Nyima Tsering, who was elected committee member, said repeatedly, “I will work as hard as I can to make everyone thrive, and to repay the party’s help.”

The settlement program refers to moving impoverished residents from areas lacking living resources to other areas, improving the new area’s living and production facilities, adjusting the economic structure, and expanding income channels, so that the relocated residents could gradually overcome poverty and become prosperous.