Under the Same Blue Sky: Entering Shitou Village (Part 2) — We Cannot Abandon This Family

At noon on August 7, 2019, in Shitou Village, Chengguan Town, Kaiyang County: Led by the village-stationed cadres, we arrived at this household nestled in the woods. Both the interior of the house and the courtyard outside were riddled with potholes and uneven ground, looking as if it were on the verge of collapse. Logically speaking, given its proximity to the county seat—where every village now has access to paved roads and every home is connected by concrete pathways—the road leading from this household to the outside remained a muddy footpath, seemingly cut off from the outside world.

A village-stationed official told the author that the household head, Wang Hongfu, has a family of four, including two children. According to the criteria for receiving national subsistence allowances, since all four family members are in good health and both adults are capable of working, they do not meet the eligibility requirements. However, in reality, their financial situation and living conditions are indeed quite difficult.

As a household on the margins of the village, the stationed cadre was particularly anxious. While most villagers had already gained access to roads and had their dilapidated homes renovated, Wang Hongfu’s family remained stuck in limbo.

The village-stationed cadres held an on-site meeting at Wang Hongfu’s home.

“We must never leave anyone behind—never abandon this family.” Those were the words of Wu Guilan, the first secretary stationed in the village. In the conversation that follows, we may come to understand the helplessness and hardships faced by both Wang Hongfu and the village‑stationed cadres.

Wu Guilan, the first secretary of the County Audit Bureau stationed in Shitou Village, said: “We’ll tackle your access‑road issue first, then address the housing challenge. Most of the funds for road construction have already been secured, but you’ll need to contribute some money and pitch in as well. Our plan is to have the road extended right up to your yard by August 30. With such a large yard, you should also lay out a clear, well‑organized layout—move what needs to be moved and tidy things up properly. We can’t afford to have the road finished only to end up with a chaotic mess. And those extensive woods around your house are perfect for raising plenty of chickens; don’t keep fixating on gathering lingzhi mushrooms—it’s not a sustainable solution.”

Looking utterly bewildered, Wang Hongfu finally managed to speak after a long pause: “My wife isn’t in good health, so she went to the city to take on some light work. I’m the only able-bodied person left at home—where am I supposed to find anyone to help? Time is really tight. On top of that, I don’t know where to turn for a loan, and even if I did, I wouldn’t be able to get one. This is really frustrating…”

The secretary took over the conversation: “Most of it has been taken care of for you. But if you really want to make things work, you’ll have to find a way—borrow a little from relatives if you’re short on cash. You can’t possibly expect this family to stay like this forever, can you? Tighten your belt and pull yourself together—you’ll get through it.” Wang Hongfu neither nodded nor replied, staring blankly into the distance...

On the way back, Secretary Wu, who is stationed in the village, discussed with colleagues from the county CPPCC: “Well, if we just ask him to chip in a bit of money, there’s hardly any hope. It seems we’ll have to step up our efforts—reach out to a few more supporting organizations and do everything we can to get that road repaired. We absolutely cannot afford to leave this behind or abandon this family…”

“We cannot abandon this family”—how simple, yet profoundly resolute and powerful these words are... Perhaps only by experiencing it firsthand can we truly grasp the hardships and helplessness along the path of poverty alleviation. To advance this work and improve the living conditions of ordinary people, village-stationed officials often toil day and night, tirelessly conducting ideological mobilization—yet even so, they do not always achieve the results they earnestly hope for.

I came here on a mission from Haiyue Technology Group to conduct a preliminary assessment of poverty‑alleviation efforts in Shitou Village. That visit deepened my understanding that, before addressing poverty, we must first empower people through knowledge; education is the most crucial step in transforming mindsets. If every villager possessed at least a basic level of education, they would be less stuck in their ways, their families would face less hardship, our resident cadres would have an easier task, and the work of targeted poverty alleviation would progress much more smoothly.

Before publication, Secretary Wu Guilan of Shitou Village in Kaiyang County informed the author by phone that the funds for road construction had been fully secured through a joint effort by the County Audit Bureau, the County CPPCC, the County Land and Resources Bureau, and other agencies. Wang Hongfu no longer needs to worry about raising money; we have already dispatched personnel to begin excavating the road...

In just one day—this is the pace of our village-stationed cadres today... Perhaps it’s because I’m easily moved, or maybe it’s because I was born in the countryside yet have spent my life in the city, fully aware of the hardships rural life entails. As my fingers tap at the keyboard, the bittersweet memories of my childhood in the village come flooding back; at 40, tears well up in my eyes once again. We should applaud the nation’s poverty‑alleviation policies, commend these village‑stationed cadres and everyone working tirelessly on the road to poverty reduction, and extend our heartfelt gratitude to the organizations and individuals who have contributed both resources and effort to targeted poverty alleviation. Like tiny streams that eventually form an ocean, when one region faces hardship, support pours in from all directions. Thanks to targeted poverty alleviation and the dedicated cadres stationed in villages, China’s rural areas will only continue to improve, and the lives of ordinary people will grow ever brighter with hope.