NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Monday, May 21, 2018

By Chen Xia

Yang Chenglan, a thirty-something of the Dong ethnic group, was the first college graduate from her village in remote southwest China to return home to start a business.

Born in a Dong village in Zaima town, Guizhou Province, Yang opened a shop on retail website Taobao to sell handmade ethnic cloth made by fellow villagers. She also set up a workshop to employ villagers to make cloth in the traditional fashion.

While helping passing down the ethnic handicraft, she has helped more than 80 families live a better life.

Opening a shop online was not Yang’s first career choice after graduation. She used to be a middle school teacher, but when she returned home for holidays, she said she felt downcast, as only older people and children remained in her hometown, while all the young adults moved to big cities to make a living.

Photo courtesy of Ted Lee.