Better homes, better lives

Rows of neat gray buildings stand against green hills, while bright-red national flags and colorful prayer flags flutter in the crystal-blue sky. Concrete paths are connected to the asphalt roads. Inside the houses - whose average living space is 96 square meters - Tibetan furniture and household appliances serve people's daily lives.

When Da Mag village was founded 16 years ago, the residents would never have imagined that such scenes were possible.

The village continues to evolve. This year, 3 million yuan has been allocated for further home improvements, enabling doors and roofs to be replaced with more-solid, stronger ones, and fences are being renovated.

Recently Tashi Dhodrub entered a new phase of his career as a blacksmith by recruiting about 15 apprentices.

He is excited about the future, because at the end of the month he will bid farewell to his old workshop, a converted cowshed, and move into a spacious two-story building.

The old workshop is narrow, dirty and poorly ventilated. The tools are primitive; just a hammer and a simple hand-powered forge.

In the new workshop, the apprentices will work with more productive equipment. The building was erected last year to serve as a center for handicraft training classes and to provide workshops for blacksmiths and weavers.

In October, the weavers became the first group to move in and start working on newly-installed looms.

A handicraft cooperative involving 61 craftsmen and women has been established to develop the collective economy, create jobs and help the poor.

"We gather jobless women together and train them as weavers. One Tibetan blanket can sell for 400 to 500 yuan and Tibetan quilts can reach 800 yuan each," said Dawa, a female cadre in the village.

"In this way, the women, mostly stay-at-home wives, can work and earn some money in their own houses and take care of their family at the same time."

Yungdrung, Party secretary of Da Mag, said: "The village still has nine impoverished families, a total of 22 people. All of them are participating in the handicraft cooperative, learning to be blacksmiths or weavers.

Tashi Dhodrub said: "China has given us a home. With the government's support, our village is developing and changing day by day. Now, we must rely on our own efforts to create an even better life. I believe we can do it."