E-commerce a shot in arm to struggling village

A community nestled in northern China's Taihang Mountains is gaining fame as a trailblazer in poverty reduction thanks to its robust e-commerce activities.

Lingtou village in Shanxi province has abundant agricultural commodities including millet, pears and walnuts, but farmers have had a hard time selling their products due to their isolated location and a substandard transportation system.

Starting in August 2016, village cadres began offering farmers a seven-day tutorial that introduced WeChat and e-commerce channels.

The course was a godsend for Wei Baoyu, 48, who was heavily in debt after having a serious stomach ailments in 2012. "I thought of giving up at first," he said. "It was hard for me to learn the basics like how to navigate the user interface."

Wei kept practicing and his determination paid off. On the day he activated his WeChat store he sold 10 kilograms of millet for 200 yuan ($30), twice the price he would have received at the local market.

The instant benefits prompted him to explore with other internet tools. In early 2017, he began livestreaming his farm work via Sina Weibo. The pristine country views and his unadorned style earned him over 530,000 followers.

Since the first group completed the crash course, over 100 villagers — the village is home to about 400 — have received the training and launched WeChat stores. A few enjoy annual sales of up to 50,000 yuan.

Wei is now passing his knowledge on to fellow villagers. A room in his house has been revamped into a makeshift classroom where he shares tips on boosting sales via livestreaming.

The regional success of WeChat stores is also having a ripple effect on the surrounding Wuxiang county. About 100 poor villages have now opened WeChat stores, helping roughly 500 residents lift themselves out of poverty.

Wang Xiaoyu contributed to this story.