'Generous beggar' helps others with his earnings

Wang Zhiyou, known as the generous beggar, arrived in Changsha, the capital of Hunan province, on Sept 6, 2011. [Photo/CFP]

He is a beggar, but he says he donates the money he gets to other people in need.

Wang Zhiyou, 41, is from Yongping village in Heilongjiang province. For the last 15 years he has been begging on the streets and donating the money to others in need, and was dubbed by some media as "the Northeastern generous beggar".

He arrived in Changsha, the capital of Hunan province, on Sept 6, 2011. He usually stays in one place for a month before moving on to another.

"After one month's begging, I will donate the money I get to a person who needs help," he said. He hopes to connect with a person in need through the media and to find lodging for himself offered by a good Samaritan.

Wang said he does this because of his own history. At 18, he learned he was adopted because his biological parents were too poor to support more than one child. He learned about the hardship of poor people. Then he started begging for others 15 years ago.

"I've donated 40,000 yuan ($6,292) in the last 15 years. Whenever I donate money, I'll ask for a receipt," he said, taking out a pile of receipts and bankbooks as proof.