Herdsman Zhaxi holds a lamb in his arms on an alpine pasture at Zangpu Village in Zhaxizom Township of Tingri County, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, April 23, 2020. (Xinhua/Sun Fei)
Life has taken on a new look in the nearest administrative village to the world's highest peak Mount Qomolangma.
MOUNT QOMOLANGMA BASE CAMP, May 3 (Xinhua) -- Zhaxi and his family live in the plateau village Zangpu, which is the nearest administrative village to the world's highest peak Mount Qomolangma.
Herdsman Zhaxi's family members pose for a group photo at home in Zangpu Village of Zhaxizom Township, Tingri County, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, April 23, 2020. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje)
Aerial photo shows Zangpu Village in Zhaxizom Township of Tingri County, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, April 23, 2020. (Xinhua/Purbu Zhaxi)
Back to 2008, then 26-year-old Zhaxi, fell in love with Deden, a girl six years younger than him. Zhaxi decided to marry Deden while living apart from his original large family that owned a family asset of more than 200 yaks. Splitting from the family, Zhaxi only got seven yaks. For herdsmen like Zhaxi who mainly make a living by grazing yaks, owning less than ten yaks heralds a difficult time for future.
Dwelling in a rented small house that could only fit a bed, Zhaxi and his wife barely made ends meet by merely grazing livestock. In order to support the family, Zhaxi applied for a loan to buy a truck to carry out transport business. For years, Zhaxi worked very hard and often drove around the clock to make money.
Several years ago, the local government lent a helping hand to Zhaxi's family. In 2015, Zhaxi and his family had got a chance to move into a new house built by the local government for the low-income families in the village.
The village also set up a cooperative to integrate local herdsmen's yaks so as to provide orderly yak services to mountain climbers. This service brings in more than 300,000 yuan (about 42,492 US dollars) of revenue to the village annually and pays dividend to herdsmen including Zhaxi.
Thanks to his hard work and local poverty alleviation efforts, Zhaxi's family has shaken off poverty.
Herdsman Zhaxi drives his vehicle in Tingri County, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, April 23, 2020. (Xinhua/Sun Fei)
Herdsman Zhaxi (1st R) chats with friends on an alpine pasture at Zangpu Village in Zhaxizom Township of Tingri County, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, April 23, 2020. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje)
Herdsman Zhaxi grazes yaks on an alpine pasture at Zangpu Village in Zhaxizom Township of Tingri County, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, April 23, 2020. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje)
Herdsman Zhaxi grazes yaks on an alpine pasture at Zangpu Village in Zhaxizom Township of Tingri County, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, April 23, 2020.(Xinhua/Sun Fei)
Herdsman Zhaxi holds a lamb in his arms on an alpine pasture at Zangpu Village in Zhaxizom Township of Tingri County, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, April 23, 2020.(Xinhua/Jigme Dorje)■
