YNU representatives visit a local family in Hebian village to learn about their current living situation as part of the university’s poverty-alleviation program. [Photo/ynu.edu.cn]

A 5-member delegation from Yunnan University (YNU) visited Hebian village, Fengqing county, Yunnan province, from May 16 to 18 as part of the university’s poverty-alleviation program. 

The delegation consisted of employees from YNU’s School of Public Management, Institute of International Relations, and Institute of Ethnic Politics and Borderland Management.

The delegation visited Zhang Zhengchang and Wu Zhengmei’s families and offered them gifts. 

The YNU representatives asked them how their lives had changed and what kinds of difficulties they were facing. 

During their stay in Hebian village, they also talked with village officials about how to lift the villagers out of poverty.

YNU employees sent to the village to support local poverty-alleviation efforts also took part in the village tour.

A total of 737,500 people from 27 poverty-stricken counties in southwest China's Yunnan province were lifted out of poverty in 2018, according to Yunnan authorities.

The progress was attributed to a string of measures that included creating job opportunities, developing industries, relocating people from undesirable areas, and offering allowances to the poor, elderly, and ill.

The country is aiming to lift all rural residents living below the current poverty line out of poverty and eliminate poverty in all poor counties and regions by 2020.