"I am greatly honored to have been elected as a delegate to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, and also feel a heavy responsibility," said Zhoigar, a Tibetan woman from Yumai township, Lhunze, a border county in Southwest China's Tibet autonomous region.

Her father began to patrol the border in the 1960s, before she and her sister Yangzom followed in his footsteps to carry on with the duty.

In a letter of reply to the two sisters in 2017, President Xi Jinping acknowledged their efforts and thanked them for their loyalty and the contributions they have made in the border area. The letter also put their hometownYumai in the national spotlight.

Over the years, Zhoigar and Yangzom have carried on their late father's responsibility - patrolling the border and safeguarding the sacred territory of their motherland, firmly believing that protecting their hometown is equivalent to protecting the country. In 2021, Zhoigar was awarded the July 1 Medal -- the highest honor in the CPC.

When talking about the changes in the township, Zhoigar's words gushed out. She recalled the hard times when they had to prepare food and other necessities that could provide for half a year before winter came.

Thanks to improved infrastructure, they can purchase daily supplies at any time now and have no worries about sudden power failures, according to Zhoigar. She also feels grateful that local children can receive education at a nearby school nowadays.

In 2017, the country launched a project to help Yumai develop itself into a demonstration township of moderate prosperity with an investment of 120 million yuan ($17.4 million). A group of public service facilities, including schools and healthcare centers, were built.

The township is covered by 4G communications network and mobile payment is easily accessible. The local residents in Yumai have developed their own way to increase their income, for instance, running a homestay, tea house, or selling groceries.

Local residents attend a lecture given by Zhoigar. [Photo/Tibet Daily]

To broaden local women's horizons and inspire them to pursue a better life, Zhoigar suggested a study tour in other parts of the region for the women from border areas to the women's federation of Tibet autonomous region.

Her proposal was adopted. Through the efforts of the women's federations of Lhokha and Nyingchi cities, a group of 36 women from Yumai went on a six-day study tour in Nyingchi's Bayi district and Motuo county last October.

The participants visited a museum displaying the assistance to Tibet from other parts of China and an educational base on revolutionary history. They also learned about tea planting and homestay operations during their stay in Bayi and Motuo.

Zhoigar and her daughter [Photo/Tibet Daily]

As the project of building moderately prosperous villages in border areas advances and various preferential policies are being carried out, Yumai reported a gross economic income of 9.1 million yuan in 2021, with the per capita disposable income reaching nearly 40,000 yuan, much higher than the region's average.

Zhoigar attributed all these welcome changes to the favorable policies and special care and support from the central government, adding that she would diligently fulfill her duty as a delegate and continue to lead local people to safeguard the country's border area.