Planting their way to prosperity

Miao village turns to trees to lift households out of poverty, and opens up education for all

Nestled in the mountains stretching across the border between the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region and Guizhou province, Wuying, a village with a large population of the Miao ethnic group, has witnessed dramatic change over the past decade.

Inhabited by around 700 residents living in 145 households, the once impoverished village has undergone a quiet transformation in terms of socioeconomic reforms and environmental protection. It has raised all its poor households above the official abject poverty line, which is defined in China as a per capita income of 2,300 yuan ($321) a year. As livelihoods have improved, the village has progressed in many other fields, including education, waste management and women's empowerment.