GT on the spot: Raising camels, working in enterprises... A close look at young people realizing their self-worth in Xinjiang

Editor's Note:
Located in the eastern part of Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Hami is an important city along the ancient Silk Road and a key node city under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). In this city with a total area of 142,100 square kilometers, the permanent population is 680,000, and 39 ethnic groups including Han, Uygur, Kazakh, Hui, and Mongolian live here harmoniously.

GT reporters again traveled to the region. In this fourth installment of a series of articles, GT tells character stories based on multiple local young people who have realized their self-worth here with the continuous improvement of Xinjiang's economic industrial structure.
Millionaire camel breeder

Zhonghe Camel Breeding Cooperative in Xiamaya township, Hami city, is about 260 kilometers away from the city center. After a four-hour drive out there, a group of sunbathing camels came into view. Nuraly Kasmu, a 32-year-old Uygur man, is the head of the cooperative.

Talking with the Global Times, he said, "There is a saying that 'having millions in wealth is not considered rich if you have long-haired camels.'" Free-range camels not only tend to wander off, but are also at risk of wolf attacks. Newborn camels also find it difficult to survive, making it difficult for herders to guarantee their economic income.

In November 2014, with the support of the local government, Nuraly's father founded this cooperative to provide custody and breeding services for camels, as well as selling fresh camel milk and other products.

Currently, more than 80 households of herders in the local area entrust their camels to the cooperative, mainly consisting of Kazakh and Uygur herders, as well as Han herders. According to the agreement, the cooperative distributes dividends to herders at a rate of 1,000 yuan ($139.83) per camel per year, and the income from camel milk, camel hair, and newborn camels belongs to the cooperative.

Nuraly said that since 2015, the total amount of dividends given to villagers in Xiamaya township by the cooperative has accumulated to nearly 400,000 yuan. There are currently more than 900 camels in this breeding base covering an area of over 3,000 square meters. Each camel produces about 2 to 3 kilograms of milk per day, with the highest monthly sales of camel milk reaching around 5,000 kilograms, bringing in a monthly income of about 180,000 to 200,000 yuan, and an annual income exceeding 2 million yuan.

"I might be the richest person in the local area!" Nuraly said with a smile.

Nuraly used to work for a local new energy company and joined his father's cooperative in 2018 to continue the family business. Despite his playful nature, he is meticulous when it comes to work.

"To take care of the camels, I specifically hired a camel caretaker from the Barkol Kazak Autonomous County," he said. "Kazakh compatriots have a lot of experience in camel breeding and know how to make them produce milk. More importantly, they have genuine affection for camels and don't treat them as just a job."

In addition, the cooperative pays attention to the nutritional balance of camel feed, regularly conducts vaccinations for camels, hires professionals to take care of newborn camels, and provides insurance for the camels. They also receive technical training from agricultural and animal husbandry experts and scholars every year.

Keram Wudge, a 60-year-old herder, also entrusts his camels to the cooperative. He told the Global Times that herders have signed contracts with the cooperative and receive stable dividend income every year without having to worry. With the free time, older herders can stay at home and take care of their elderly family members, while others work as border guards to increase their income.

When asked about the changes in their lives since taking over the cooperative five years ago, Nuraly smiled and said, "We have money now! Who doesn't want to make money?"

It's not just Nuraly whose wallet has grown. Through systematic management, the cooperative has radiated and boosted the income of farmers and herders in Xiamaya township and surrounding towns, promoting local economic development.

The operation of the cooperative has not been smooth sailing, and the sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic was the biggest test. "The local government waived the cooperative's loan interest, and companies from Central China's Henan Province provided financial support. With the trust and support of people from all ethnic groups, we were able to overcome the difficulties together," Nuraly said.

Nuraly has ideas for the future development of the cooperative. In his view, camel milk has high nutritional value and can help alleviate diabetes and enhance immunity. In the future, he wants to continue to expand the scale and breed more camels, improve the quality and quantity of camel milk, and sell camel milk along the BRI to various parts of Asia, Africa, Europe, and other parts of the world.

"At that time, I will proudly tell others that this is the camel milk produced by our cooperative," Nuraly said.

Uygur woman builds promising career

The fresh camel milk produced by cooperatives in Yiwu county, Hami, is mainly sent to Xinjiang Zhongtuo Bio-Technology Co. for processing, and is then sold to various parts of the world.

Zhao Junli, the chairman of the company, said in an interview with the Global Times that as a company that attracted investment from Henan to Xinjiang, the company opened in Yiwu county in April 2016. At that time, although there were not many camels, the natural environment and development prospects were good. In order to ensure a stable supply of camel milk, the company provided 5,000 yuan in funding to the local people for every camel purchased, interest-free, and the camel milk produced would be used to repay the funding. Generally, each camel can repay 500 yuan per month, and it can be repaid in about a year, which immediately mobilized the enthusiasm of the local people.

Zhao said that herders can entrust their camels to the cooperatives, and the cooperatives are responsible for camel breeding and milking. The milk is then transported to his company by milk delivery trucks. After sampling and testing, the qualified camel milk is sent to the production workshop to produce fresh camel milk, camel milk powder, milk slices, and other products. Camel milk biscuits and camel milk shower gel are also popular products.

Some Western countries have been fabricating rumors about "forced labor" in Xinjiang. Zhao said that when he received a group of foreign journalists from eight countries, he told them, "Do not spread false words, do not mislead the public. Many people in Xinjiang have created a beautiful life with their own hands!"

Taking Zhongtuo Bio-Technology Co. as an example, the company's employees are from various ethnic groups such as Han, Hui and Uygur, as well as Kazakh and Tibetan people. Zhao said that regardless of ethnicity or gender, all employees of the company are treated equally, with labor contracts updated regularly to fully protect the rights and interests of workers.

Generally, working hours are from 9 am to 1 pm and from 3 pm to 7 pm on weekdays, and overtime pay is provided at a rate of 25 yuan per hour. In addition to year-end bonuses and other benefits, the company also provides a full attendance bonus based on length of service. Employees who have been with the company for more than one year can receive an additional 40 yuan per day, those who have been with the company for more than two years can receive 60 yuan per day, and those who have been with the company for more than three years can receive 80 yuan per day. This adds up to a considerable amount, resulting in a low rate of people leaving the company.
There are people from various ethnic backgrounds who have built careers here, including Amangul Taolang, a 29-year-old Uygur woman.

Amangul graduated from Tarim University with a major in food quality and safety in July 2017. She then worked in an administrative position in another company. In November 2017, she came to Zhongtuo by chance to work as a laboratory technician. She felt that her professional knowledge from university was finally being put to use and decided to stay. At that time, her monthly salary was 3,000 yuan.

"In terms of salary alone, it was similar to my previous job. But I believe that while earning a living is important, I also hope to realize my self-worth in my work," Amangul told the Global Times.

Over the past six years, she has continuously learned professional knowledge and has gone from being an ordinary laboratory technician to a laboratory supervisor, technical manager, and is now the director of food safety for the entire company.

With the improvement of her abilities and position, Amangul's salary has also increased significantly, and her annual income now exceeds 200,000 yuan.

Amangul said that in the early days of the company's establishment, she was the only member of an ethnic minority in the company. Now, there are a total of 10 people in her laboratory, including colleagues from Han, Uygur, and Kazakh ethnic groups. They work together, respecting each other and showing interest in each other's customs. They celebrate festivals such as Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha together.

Amangul said that the company has facilities such as a basketball court, gym, and public activity room, and she is satisfied with the current working environment and atmosphere.

Now her only goal is to further improve her work abilities and continue to make progress while she is young.