Female role models make a mark in society

According to the National Development and Reform Commission, the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project, a government initiative, has provided safe drinking water for 280 million rural residents nationwide over the past decade, while also consolidating and improving the security of supplies for 340 million people in the countryside.

Zhu and her team have witnessed the changes. Last year, during a field survey at a village primary school in Hebei, Zhu was delighted to find that the water quality was up to standard, and that supply equipment had been installed.

"When we went to some villages a few years ago, the residents used shoulder poles and buckets to carry water. Recently, those villages have been connected to a supply network and faucets have been installed in people's homes," she said.

A stable institution must have a stable team, though, and recruitment is sometimes a headache for Zhu.

"It is hard to find experienced communication personnel and environmental science researchers who are willing to work for public welfare institutions for a long time. Most of the money we receive from the foundation, corporate sponsorship, individual donations and crowd-funding flows to the countryside," she said. "Almost all public welfare organizations find it difficult to attract outstanding people to work for them as they are not well-funded, so salaries are low."

Her biggest hope this year is that her team can find more outstanding young volunteers who are willing to deepen their experience and long-term development in the fields of public welfare, environmental protection and water resources.

lihongyang@chinadaily.com.cn