[Photo provided to China Daily]

According to Nyigya, head of the county's education department, poverty alleviation through education requires not only knowledge, but also cultivating a sense of responsibility among future generations to protect the fragile environment the local people rely on.

Zadoi county, whose economy depends on raising livestock, has an area of 30,000 square kilometers and an average altitude of 4,200 meters. It has a total population of 66,000, with more than 10,000 students registered in primary and middle schools.

Students have embraced the program since it started, according to Karma Chonyi, a teacher who is in charge of the program from the Second Middle School.

Every noon, Karma Chonyi shows up at a special office for the program to count the students' gains and reward them accordingly.

The collected waste is disposed of by categories, with the help of local dump-managing staffers.