Zhoushan in East China's Zhejiang province donated 200,000 yuan ($30,000) in May this year to help two minority villages in Xide county, Sichuan province escape poverty, local media reported on Sept 17.

Lada village is home to 286 households and 1,107 villagers, 164 households of which are in poverty. Several years of poverty alleviation efforts by the village itself have only managed to help 50 households, according to Jijue Zuoti, Party secretary of Lada.

Jijue said the donation by Zhoushan was used to develop the pig industry. If one sow can give birth to 10 baby pigs per year and each baby pig is worth 1,000 yuan, one sow can generate 10,000 yuan for the village each year.

Zhongba village, the other village to receive help from Zhoushan, has 1,091 households and 4,245 villagers, 407 households of which are in poverty.

To date, 146 poor households have escaped poverty, while the rest are expected to follow this year, according to Liuchao, the village's Party secretary.

With selenium-rich soil, Zhongba boasts high-quality potatoes, rice, and other agricultural products, and the local village committee is mobilizing more villagers to grow such crops.

As local beef is quite popular among consumers, Liu plans to pay particular attention to cattle farming. The donation from Zhoushan came at just the right time.

Liu said that village officials are teaching local residents how to sell their products online to help them increase sales.

Dong Ping from the Zhoushan municipal development and reform commission revealed that they plan to organize commerce chambers and companies in Zhoushan to donate supplies to Lada and Zhongba.

Zhoushan in East China's Zhejiang province donates 200,000 yuan ($30,000) in May this year to help two minority villages in Xide county, Sichuan province escape poverty. [Photo/zhoushan.cn]