The Special Agents for Backbone Project are in action
From August 31st to September 1st, 2019, the Health Insurance Program Department of China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation joined hands with Alibaba Welfare to organize employees to participate in the “3 Hours for a Better World” activity. This activity aims to visit the Hong‘an County in Hubei Province, where the Backbone Project has launched. The first batch of special agents entered the Hong’an County, a key county for poverty alleviation and development in the Dabie Mountains.
Into Hong'an County
Hong'an County is affiliated to Huanggang City, Hubei Province. It is a typical mountainous agricultural county, and also a key county for the new round of national poverty alleviation and development work.
In 2018, the Backbone Project landed in Hong'an County, investing RMB 1.78 million to provide poverty alleviation welfare insurance for the 65,940 poverty-stricken households within 18 to 60 years old. By August 28 this year, the Backbone Project has claimed 336 policies in Hong'an County and compensated RMB 1.16 million.
The special agents went to the Chajingmiao Village and Zhangjiatun Village in Hong'an County to visit the beneficiary families, and to gain a deeper understanding of the beneficiarys' life.
They first came to the home of the beneficiary Liang Yuhong (a pseudonym). Before he fell ill, Liang Yuhong and his wife were working outside to support the family. But the sudden illness has caused the family to carry a heavy debt as Liang had lost his ability to work. Now, family can only rely on the meager income from the agricultural products that Liang’s parents planted.
▲ “Specialist” assisted in picking peanuts at Liang’s place
Liang Yuhong is still recovering and needs to take medicine regularly. He is now unable to physical work. His mother told the special agents: “Now he is much better. When he was sick, he completely lost his confidence in living. With the help from policies and kind people, he saw hope after two times of hospitalization. Now he’s more cheerful and talks more.”
Other special agents also came to the waste recycling station of the beneficiary Li Lilian (a pseudonym).
▲ special agents asked the beneficiary Li
about the compensation
Li Lilian’s husband passed away in 2006, leaving her alone to support the living of a 11-year-old daughter and a 6-year-old son by collecting recyclable wastes. But the fate is cruel - In 2018, Li Lilian was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. Her daughter gave up her job and took care of her mother, and the son gave up his studies to take up the responsibility of the family. By continuing to recycle the waste, the family tried to cover the expenses of treatment.
All the visits have endowed the special agents with complex feelings. By walking into the beneficiaries' life, they now have a deeper understanding of the significance of the Backbone Project for these poor families. If everyone is willing to give a bit of simple love and care for the beneficiaries, numerous lives can be saved with a hope for living.
Participating is more important than giving
Public welfare is not just about giving, but more importantly, participating. What truly matters is every bit of action.
In the past two years, the Backbone Project has gone from south to north, from east to west, and has helped beneficiaries in 69 counties of 12 provinces. We walked into poverty-stricken counties, visited the homes of poor households, and truly felt their needs and hopes. The Backbone Project has provided health protection for 5.36 million registered poor people who aged 18 to 60 years old in these regions.