Tears as 34 leave for jobs abroad
Updated: 2008-06-04 08:12
CHENGDU -- Yang Xiaolian woke up at 3 am to prepare breakfast for her husband who left on Monday for Algeria to work.
"We will not see each other for two years, but we need money to rebuild our home," Yang said while cooking instant noodles outside their tent in the Lizhou region of Guangyuan, Sichuan province.
The earthquake destroyed Yang's house, leaving the five members of the family homeless.
At least 220,000 families are homeless, sheltering in tents.
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Yang's husband, Zhang Bisheng, left Sichuan with 34 others for the northwest African country after getting employment contracts arranged by the local government.
The labor authorities of Lizhou have been seeking job opportunities for the earthquake victims at home and abroad.
So far, the region has received job offers from a number of countries, including Sudan, the United Arab Emirates and Russia.
The government will help the children of those going abroad with schooling, and their elderly members.
"I know the 9,000 yuan ($1,300) fare will be covered by my foreign employer," Zhang, a former electrician, said. He passed a medical check and finished an outbound training course.
After the simple breakfast, Yang accompanied her husband to the departure site, where other workers had gathered.
"Take care of yourself and don't worry about our family," she said, holding Zhang's hand tightly.
Zhang Qin, another worker, wiped tears from the face of his wife Liu Yonglan as he stepped aboard a bus.
"I'll try my best to earn more money for our new home," Zhang Qin said.
More than 2,000 Sichuan people had been working abroad before the quake, and 200 returned home after the disaster.
They have since applied to go abroad again to earn money for a better life, Yan Zhuolin of the Sichuan provincial administration of commerce, said.
The labor authorities are thinking of applying for subsidies from the central government to encourage more local residents to work abroad, Yan said.
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