Escaping poverty with hard work and a helping hand

Cheng Xiangxi teaches an English class at Chengmagang Center School in Macheng county, Huanggang city, Central China's Hubei province, May 15, 2017. [Photo by Wu Yan/chinadaily.com.cn]

They led a frugal campus life, but both of them cherished their hard-won university experience.

Then their mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and their grandfather died in a fire which destroyed the family's house. "It was so stressful that my hair started to fall out," said Shuangjia. After many sleepless nights, he finally figured out what he should do.

"My family was most in need of money at that time. Only by winning scholarships through hard study could I support my family," he said.

The sister and brother's story moved many and got much media coverage, and with the help of the government of Chengmagang town, Chengmagang Center School provided an internship for Cheng Xiangxi when she graduated in 2013. Shuangjia took the same test afterwards.

"They got high scores in the test," said Jiang Zhengqing, president of Chengmagang Center School. "They ranked top among all the candidates."

In the latter half of 2015, when a targeted poverty relief move was conducted in Hongxing community, Cheng's family, through a democratic election in the village, was included into the poverty-stricken households list recognized by the central government.

According to Macheng county's poverty relief policies, Cheng's family was given a house free of charge to ensure that they have a place to live. They can also apply for reimbursement of 90 percent of their medical fees to ensure the family does not slip back into poverty.