Overcoming rural poverty is focus of work
Print Edition
There are various ways to help people out of poverty but relief worker Bai Wenjun has come up with his own unique solution 鈥 shooting short films.
Bai, 31, was assigned to the village of Aotegin in Horqin Zyoyi Houqi, northern China鈥檚 Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, in May 2016.
鈥淲hen I first came here, I found that the most difficult thing in poverty relief work was to change villagers鈥 minds and encourage them to work hard,鈥 he said.
鈥淗ow can I clearly explain poverty relief policies to villagers? And how can I help them kick their old bad habits? What is the way that is more effective than words?鈥
Bai, who likes to shoot videos in his spare time, came up with the idea of making short films. In November 2016, he created his first film script.
鈥淭he main character of the film, Amor, didn鈥檛 like working,鈥 he said. 鈥淭he local government gave him loans to raise cattle, but he didn鈥檛 make good use of it. Later, with encouragement from his daughter and help from poverty relief cadres, he finally found a way to work out of poverty.鈥
Although the film only tells the story of one household that was living under the poverty line, Amor鈥檚 story is actually based on the real stories of four to five households in the village, he said. The film was made in Mongolian so that it can be better understood by villagers, mostly ethnic Mongolians.
Volunteers make up team
Han Wenming, a villager, added: 鈥淲e had similar difficulties that Amor had with loans and cattle raising. After watching the film, we now better know how to solve these problems.鈥
Bai鈥檚 team is made up of more than 30 volunteers, mostly his colleagues and friends.
鈥淲e have named our team 鈥楿p Studio鈥 because we want to spread more positive stories about poverty relief work though the camera,鈥 he said.
Since 2016, Bai has shot a total of 18 short films explaining poverty-relief policies and how to get rid of bad habits.
Villagers not only watch the films, but have also started to take part in filmmaking.
Han, for example, offered his own bungalow as a filming spot for one of the films.
鈥淚 was afraid that my room would be too shabby, and it wouldn鈥檛 look good in the film,鈥 he said. 鈥淏ut Bai told me not to worry as a real scene would be the best.鈥
鈥淢y bungalow was in the film. Next time, I want to play a role and show the changes and the new look of our village after we have all walked out of poverty,鈥 he said.
The village had 43 households that were living under the poverty line.
So far, 36 households have come out of poverty through methods including raising cattle and developing solar energy.
鈥淚 will still shoot short films even when all the villagers are out of poverty,鈥 Bai said. 鈥淚 want to present their new life and tell stories about rural revitalization.鈥
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
