Jobs and joy

The "workshop model" being promoted in Juancheng county, Shandong province, has not only enriched the material lives of local farmers, but also given them a sense of well-being.

Chen Junlan has been employed in a workshop in Shenwei, a village in the county's Dongkou town, for a year. "The workshop offers a flexible schedule, which means I have time to take care of my children," the 45-year-old said.

Chen's husband died several years ago. She has two children, so the extra cash has helped turn her life around. She described herself as "very satisfied" with her average monthly salary of 1,500 yuan ($218).

"I'm very happy working here, where I can chat with the other locals. The workshop is spacious and clean, which makes me feel good. It feels like the huge (financial) pressure I felt before has gradually faded," she said, with a smile.

Every workshop is equipped with a radio, and Song Feng-ying, 58, likes to listen to opera while she works: "Listening to opera on the radio while we work means the time flies by," she said.

Li Yuru, head of Dongkou, said: "Having a job in a workshops means 'empty-nest' seniors are not alone anymore - that's been one of the program's best results."

Shao Guojun, deputy director of the office of the Shandong poverty alleviation and development team, said the rise of village workshops has boosted farmers' incomes, raised their living standards and restored their self-confidence, all of which has helped to create a harmonious society.