Love for the poor
- Source: Global Times
- [22:14 November 05 2009]
- Comments
Shi Shengchang with Zhang Qizhong on Zhang's chicken farm.
By Yu Fei and Shi Xinrong, China Features
Shi Shengchang has worked in Rural Credit Cooperatives (RCCs) in southwest China's mountainous areas for 27 years, helping farmers save money and offering loans to those in need. His greatest reward is to see the farmers reap what they sow.
"The poor love the poor. Provided the poor are diligent, they can become rich with our help," explained Shi, director of the RCC in Shuitang, Ziyun county, Guizhou Province.
In China, more than 90 percent of agricultural loans are provided by RCCs, financial institutions formed by shareholding partners. Different from large banks whose customers are mainly in cities, RCCs focus on farmers.
Shi Shengchang, 47, grew up in a poor village. His mother passed away when he was 5 and Shi and his four siblings lived on the income of his father. Wearing his only suit all year round, Shi was often laughed at in school. He got a job as an accountant in the RCC in Pingba town in 1982.
"I didn't know if I would like it. I just want to have a try," he said.
"After working for several months, I found I loved my job. My family was poor and all of the farmers in the neighborhood were poor. They had no money to develop. RCC could help them. I wanted to help them through my job."
At that time, Shi worked in a town of 8,000 people and the RCC there had only two employees. The total deposit in the RCC was 10,000 yuan ($1,470) and the small local bank could only provide loans of 8,000 yuan ($1,176). The RCC's loans ranged from 20 yuan ($2.90) to 200 yuan ($29), with which farmers could buy some tools, piglets or calves.
"Rural reform was launched in the early 1980s. Our work was hard because of the shortage of funds. I understand the farmers. Although they are poor, they can pay back the loans so long as they find the way to make money," Shi explained. Shi became the vice director of the RCC in Houchang in 1992. This RCC was bigger, with six employees and deposits of 270,000 yuan ($39,705).
