The pain of surviving: life at the bottom of the society

As its 11th 5-year plan coming to an end, China is busy preparing for the drafting of the 12th 5-year plan. It is believed that the 12th plan will be a turning point from “enriching the county” to “enriching the people”. But how much does that mean to people struggling at the bottom of the social ladder? GDP looks really good, the country is drawing international interest. Our leaders are confident and optimistic that their plans can guarantee and improve people’s lives before long. But how long?

(From Yahoo) Poor child beggars are just money-making tools to their “owners”. The notorious “richest beggar ” (花子首富) in Shenzhen beggar gang controls 3 to 4 disable children to beg for him. Seriously disable children go missing from time to time, but he can always get new members. By breaking their arms or legs, he makes 200 – 300 thousand yuan annually by creating miserable poor looking children and making them beg on the street (Exposed by an under-covered 77 elderly in 2006 ) . Last year, funeral home in Shenzhen City received 286 abandoned dead babies and children, sadly the number only represented the recorded part.

A illegal brick kiln in Shanxi Province, children are cheated and enslaved here to work over 14 hours everyday with half empty stomach. Children not working fast enough will be smashed by supervisors with handy bricks. When bleed, they just cover the wounds with rags and go on working.

Man carrying recyclable bottles under the hot sun to sell for money.

Legless man repairing bikes in the sleet cold.

Children “performing” for money on the street. (More)

Hungry trash picker’s child crying out for bread.

Life is dark in and out of the coal mine to these child workers.

A worker in a small plastic factory. His job is to put used plastic bottles into the furnace that keeps puffing out black smokes right at his unprotected face.

Worker in a shoddy wadded cotton workshop. When most of us escape the heat by nesting under air conditioner, they are working day and night, shattering rags collected from garbage without any disinfection. Dirty smelly dusts go into their eyes, noses and throat every move they make. They sleep on the floor next to the hills of shoddy black cotton. (CCTV has more)

Childhood in acrobatic troupe. 10-year-old Lingling was taking a break between practice. Behind her was a small blackboard on which written couples of “baba mama”(father and mother). Many kids don’t have the chance of seeing their parents annually. (More)

73 years old daughter Sun Faju supports her 95-year-old mother by rubbish picking. They live in damp cottage, eat foods from the street or from others’ gift. She washed her mother’s feet everyday, warm her bed, making warm bag out of plastic bottle. However, Sun Faju doesn’t feel life is that difficult at all. (More)

Foot masseuses have to bathe their hands in the water along with various feet, resulting in hand infections from time to time. If not handle carefully, they hands transfer bacteria to their body and head as well.

Woman boat tracker on Yangtze River. In order to make a living, she went half naked like man and work just as hard. Beauty? Dignity? Not something she can consider. (More)

Villagers holding up long bamboo sticks to sell food to passengers in the train.

Villagers are waiting to sell blood for money. Selling blood is a quick way of making a living in Xun County of Shiyan City, Hubei Province. Each time, these people sell 600 cc blood in exchange for 168 yuan. (More)

The 6-year-old Yu Jinzhen was carrying water mountain foot couples of kilometers away. She lives in the most remote village that leverage 1700 meter above sea level in Leibo County, Sichuan City. When water source run out, she has to follow adults to far away place for water.

Kid you shouldn’t be here at this age.