Resettlement raises living standards

Healthcare and education are also high priorities at the settlement. Aypnazar Qintimur, a physician who works at the newly built clinic, is impressed by the facilities.

"I used to ride a camel or walk to some outlying villages to see patients. I remember that it took me nearly a week to reach a patient in an isolated village, and his illness had worsened by the time I arrived," the 34-year-old said. "However, that won't happen again because the people have been brought here."

He said the clinic provides checkups and basic treatment.

"Though we can't offer the best treatment, we can help to transfer seriously ill patients to higher-grade hospitals in the county, giving them a better chance of survival," he said.

Mirgul Akhmihan, Party secretary at the kindergarten, has witnessed the great changes education has brought to the children.

She said preschool education was not available in the rural areas, and parents did not understand the importance of education.

"One child who moved here from a very remote village was afraid of attending the kindergarten at the very beginning, because he had no idea what it was," she said.

"But now, it is one of his favorite places because he has many friends here."