Alusong from the Shaqiong Deng Village in southeast Tibet's Nyingchi Prefecture, applies for a small-amount loan at the Xia Zaya Office of the Agriculture Bank of China on nov. 28, 2009. (Xinhua Photo)The Deng people in Shaqiong Deng Village, Zaya County, southeastern Tibet's Nyingchi Prefecture, used to rely on slash-and-burn farming and hunting with no stationary residence.
They live primarily in Zaya County and have a population of only 1,400. As its population is so small, it has not been recognized as an independent ethnic group.
Great changes have taken place in their life in recent years, thanks to the support of China's Central Government, especially the extension of small-amount loans from the Agriculture Bank of China (ABC). The Deng people began to shake off poverty and lead a better-off life.
The ABC Tibet Branch began in 2001 to extend small-amount loans to villagers in 2001. The Deng people, who would not have loans due to the absence of mortgages, now have bought production tools and other means of production via such loans.
"In the past, we did not even have eggs. How could we make mortgages," said Alusong, director of the Shaqiong Villagers' Committee. Since ABC issued small-amounts loans, the villagers started to buy farm cattle, tractors and other means of production with the loans and bid farewell to the days when they went elsewhere to seek jobs.
Photo shows the sign of Agricultural Bank of China, a major state-owned commercial bank in the country. (Chinatibetnews Photo)Alusong added that quite a few of the villagers are leading an affluent and happy life by breeding livestock, planting crops and growing medical herbs.
Without stationary dwelling, the Deng people lagged far behind other people in Tibet in terms of productivity and livelihood, said Xirao Luosha, assistant manager to the Finance Office of Agriculture, Rural Areas and Farmers of ABC's Nyingchi Branch.
With publicity and promotion, the view of the Deng people on small-amount loans have become the positive and the bank has also increased the amount of loans.
Now, more and more Deng people have become prosperous with the help of such loans, said Dorje, governor of the Zaya Branch of ABC. The Shaqiong Deng Village was chosen by the ABC as the "credit village" and the villagers are entitled to more loans.
A leading official of the Xia Zaya Office of ABC said almost every family in Deng Village has obtained loans and the bank has offered loans totaling 450,000 yuan (65,935 U.S. dollars) to the locals.
According to Alusong, the Deng Village has about 370 people, 70 percent of whom did not have enough to eat and wear in the 1990s. Now, all the families have moved into new houses and some have bought tractors and even cars. The annual per-capita income reaches 7,000 yuan.
Source: Xinhua
http://chinatibet.people.com.cn/6827888.pdf
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