Long-term support aims to prevent society's most vulnerable from returning to poverty

SHI YU/CHINA DAILY

China has introduced a sweeping policy framework to prevent tens of millions of people with disabilities in rural communities from slipping back into poverty, shifting from emergency relief to long-term, normalized support in the countryside.

The directive, jointly issued by 20 government departments, including the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the China Disabled Persons' Federation, is one of the country's most comprehensive disability policy packages in recent years.

It comes as the world's second-largest economy marks the fifth anniversary of eradicating extreme poverty on the Chinese mainland and seeks to consolidate those gains.

"Efforts must be made to ensure that no large-scale relapse into poverty occurs among disabled people," the document said, describing disabled people as important contributors to China's modernization while also acknowledging they are a special group in need of extraordinary care and attention.

At the core of the policy is a shift from time-limited poverty alleviation to permanent support. Local governments are directed to provide a broader range of assistance for disabled people in rural areas, including stronger social security and education programs to meet basic needs, alongside what officials describe as "development-oriented assistance" — skills training, employment opportunities and income-generating support designed to foster self-reliance.

The directive also calls for expanded rehabilitation, nursing care, accessibility improvements and cultural services, while strengthening legal assistance to safeguard the rights of people with disabilities.

Nearly 80 percent of China's estimated 85 million registered people with disabilities live in rural areas, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. Although many rose above the poverty line through targeted poverty alleviation programs over the past decade, they remain especially vulnerable to falling back into poverty.

In Yongshou county, Shaanxi province, local officials have seen this vulnerability firsthand.

Geng Qiuwa, 54, has a physical disability, while his wife has an intellectual disability. The couple grows wheat on a small plot that provides enough food for themselves but little additional income.

After village officials identified the family as needing assistance, they began receiving a monthly government subsidy of 1,350 yuan (about $200). Geng also earns 600 yuan a month working as the village's water manager, a public welfare position.

"We identified him through household visits, verified his situation and reported it to the township level," said Chen E, a village official in Yongshou.

Geng's family typifies households with multiple disabled members, where limited labor capacity and few income sources heighten the risk of returning to poverty.

The new directive calls for assistance tailored to individual circumstances. Those unable to work will receive social assistance to meet their basic living needs. Those with some working capacity will be encouraged to improve their livelihoods through small businesses, cooperatives and other income-generating opportunities. Local Party organizations and officials are expected to play a leading role in providing targeted support in healthcare, employment, business development and mobility.

That approach is already taking shape in Yongshou.

The local disabled persons' federation has equipped six severely disabled residents with accessibility facilities, including handrails, accessible toilets, wheelchairs and crutches, while arranging regular in-home medical visits.

In another case, village officials helped Geng Ziwen, a 17-year-old with an intellectual disability, enroll in a special education school in the nearby city of Xianyang, where he has spent the past two years learning daily living skills and receiving vocational training.

For Geng Xinyuan, a 69-year-old bedridden stroke survivor, grassroots workers ensured he was enrolled in the subsistence allowance program to cover his basic living expenses.

While Yongshou illustrates the policy's emphasis on social protection and accessibility, another county is exploring its development-oriented approach by helping disabled people gain marketable skills and employment.

In Pingshun county, Shanxi province, a pilot program launched in 2024, with support from Alibaba's rural special envoys, trains students at a local special education school in intangible cultural heritage crafts, including wood carving, beading and Chinese knot weaving.

Wang Fang, who has taught at the school for two decades, said the approach represents a fundamental departure from traditional assistance.

"When I first started, help meant donations — stationery, clothes, rice and oil. It solved immediate needs but not long-term livelihoods," she said. "Now we're teaching skills that can generate income."

The school has established a workshop where students develop fine handcraft skills. Those who meet production standards make beaded bracelets, key chains and woven products that are sold through charity events. The proceeds are reinvested in materials and training, with part distributed to students as incentives.

The initiative has since expanded into the community.

Wang Pingping, 26, a former student with a physical disability, began managing a community workshop in April.

"We have four disabled trainees now," she said. "Two are wheelchair-bound and cannot leave home, so we send them video tutorials and materials. Two others come occasionally, but mostly their family members attend training and then teach them at home."

The workshop operates under a contract-processing model, with suppliers providing raw materials, setting quality standards and purchasing finished products. Although still in its pilot stage, Wang Fang said some trainees are already producing work that meets commercial standards.

The experience highlights the gap between policy goals and practical challenges.

Hou Xiaonuan, 23, who uses a wheelchair and joined the workshop in April, said the training has given her renewed purpose after years of staying at home.

"The biggest difficulty is mobility. I can't go out independently for work or activities," she said.

Wang Fang said the greatest obstacle is securing stable market demand.

"We've trained over 200 people in weaving and beading skills," she said. "But we don't have stable commercial orders. People have the skills, but there's no steady flow of work to turn those skills into income."

The directive acknowledges those challenges, calling for "order-based" and "targeted" vocational training linked directly to market demand. It also encourages e-commerce platforms and livestreaming sales to help disabled artisans reach consumers.

For now, the Pingshun workshop remains a pilot, with 10 regular trainees, a handful of trial orders and considerable optimism.

"I truly hope more people will learn about our workshop, and that more disabled friends across the country can join us," Wang Fang said.

"The biggest fear for disabled people in the countryside is that help comes in gusts and then stops. Normalized assistance is exactly what we need to hold the line against relapse," she said.

Reviewer 1: Huang Mengyao

Reviewer 2: Zhang Yanlan

Reviewer 3: Tang Caihong