Let's calculate our household expenses – Five grassroots residents talk about their sense of well-being.

Let's calculate our household expenses (New Year's Talk: Five grassroots residents talk about their sense of well-being)

Family affairs, national affairs, and world affairs—ensuring people's happy lives is of paramount importance. A happy life is reflected in the everyday lives of ordinary people, from firewood and rice to cooking and eating throughout the year. Increased income from the pomelo industry, improved livelihoods for disadvantaged groups, and continued progress in the renovation of old residential areas… over the past year, the social safety net has become increasingly comprehensive.

The "15th Five-Year Plan" proposal states, "We must adhere to the principle of doing our best within our capabilities, strengthen inclusive, basic, and safety-net-oriented livelihood construction, address the urgent needs and concerns of the people, facilitate social mobility, and improve the quality of life." In the new year, we must promptly address the shortcomings and weaknesses in people's livelihoods, continue to do a good job in key tasks such as stabilizing employment, promoting income growth, and ensuring basic needs are met, and continuously transform the achievements of economic development into a greater sense of gain, happiness, and security for the people.

--editor

Lang Sulan, a resident of Chang'an Community, Chang'an Street, Dadong District, Shenyang City, Liaoning Province

Community renovation warms hearts

I am 84 years old this year and have lived in Chang'an Community for more than ten years. My daughter, granddaughter and great-grandson, four generations of my family live here.

In the past, Chang'an Community was riddled with tangled wires and cluttered with miscellaneous items. Not only could cars not drive in, but people couldn't even find a place to stand. After my great-grandson was born at the end of 2022, our family considered moving.

In 2023, the community began its renovation project. The exterior wall insulation and heating pipelines were all renovated, significantly increasing the indoor temperature in winter; illegal structures and debris were cleared away, and a small square was built; the pavilions and charging stations that everyone wanted were also installed... In about a year, the community's appearance and interior were completely transformed.

In 2024, the community transformed its former abandoned boiler room into the Chang'an Community Party and Mass Service Center, which includes a community bookstore, recreation room, calligraphy and painting classroom, and a canteen for the elderly. People come here more often for activities, and with more interaction, neighborly relations have become more harmonious.

I eat at the Happiness Senior Citizens' Canteen almost every day at noon. Seniors over 60 get a 10% discount, so a meal costs just over 10 yuan, and those over 90 eat for free. After lunch, I usually take a stroll in the square, soak up the sun, and get some calcium. Recently, I've noticed that many of my old neighbors have moved back and are bringing their relatives and friends to visit our community. The environment has improved, life is better, and everyone is very proud.

Community staff are also adding new services for residents. In 2025 alone, the cafeteria added spicy hot pot and beef noodles; new murals depicting games like hopscotch and Ludo were painted on the community square; and a series of events, including a community fair, volunteer activities, intangible cultural heritage classes, and senior citizen birthday parties, were held…

I also take walks with my family in the nearby park. The roads around the neighborhood have been renovated, and the subway now runs right to my doorstep, making travel much more convenient. In the new year, I hope to explore this city more while I'm still able to walk.

(Interview compiled by reporter Hu Jingyi)

Lu Changge, a villager from Tang'an Village, Zhaoxing Town, Liping County, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou Province

Multiple forms of assistance to ensure a safety net

Over the past year, without the help from various parties, I don't know if I would have been able to pull myself together and get through the year.

I am from Tang'an Village, Zhaoxing Town, Liping County, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou Province. I work in Guangdong for a long time, installing central air conditioning. My monthly salary is over 9,000 yuan, and I am the breadwinner of my family. My wife stays in our hometown to take care of our child, and the three of us live a stable life.

In early 2025, I started feeling weak and numb in my hands and feet. I went to a city hospital for a comprehensive checkup and was diagnosed with uremia, requiring dialysis, so I was admitted. Including all the tests and treatments, even after reimbursement, I still spent over 20,000 yuan.

After being discharged from the hospital, I quit my job and returned to my hometown, Tang'an Village. I need dialysis three times a week, and the monthly cost, after reimbursement, is over 700 yuan. Although our savings can last for a while, without income, we will eventually run into financial difficulties, and this cannot continue.

After careful consideration, I decided to apply to be a household under the poverty prevention and control monitoring program. The village committee reviewed my application and submitted it to the relevant township and county departments for approval. Ultimately, I was included in the program. Subsequently, a series of support measures were implemented in my home.

First, they increased the reimbursement rate for medical treatment. Now, with dialysis, I only need to pay a little over 100 yuan a month. Our cooperative medical insurance premiums have been halved, and our child in kindergarten receives a subsidy of 400 yuan per semester. As my condition gradually stabilized, my spouse started working in Guangdong, earning 4,000 yuan a month. In the past two years, tourism in Tang'an Village has become increasingly popular, and the village arranged a job for me selling tickets, earning 100 yuan a day.

The province has now established a social assistance system, encompassing multiple aspects such as minimum living allowance, support for people in extreme poverty, medical assistance, educational assistance, and employment assistance. I've heard that during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, efforts to ensure people's livelihoods will continue to be strengthened, and I am full of confidence in the future.

(Interview compiled by reporter Su Bin)

Zhao Jinqiao, a merchant at Wanbang International Agricultural Products Logistics City, Zhengzhou, Henan Province

Smart grid adds protection

My name is Zhao Jinqiao. I have a stall in Wanbang Market and have been doing wholesale vegetable business for 14 years. This is the largest agricultural product wholesale market in Henan. As one of the earliest merchants to move in, I have personally experienced the changes in market management.

A few days ago, in the vegetable trading area, I was waiting for my truck to pull up and unload while answering calls urging me to deliver my goods. Not far from the stall, two vehicles had a minor collision, causing a traffic jam. With the year-end approaching and peak season upon arrival, the congestion would only worsen if the situation wasn't cleared quickly. Before I even hung up the phone, I saw Li Liqiang, a grid worker in a fluorescent vest, arrive on his electric scooter. He took photos, mediated, and directed traffic—his actions were swift and efficient. In no time, the "obstruction" was cleared, and my truck was able to drive smoothly into the stall. In the past, such a minor accident could have caused a traffic jam for half a day.

“Old Zhao, I’m not a clairvoyant, it’s the smart grid that gets the information first and accurately dispatches me to the scene in time.” Li Liqiang pointed to a camera and told me that there are more than 3,600 high-definition cameras and high-position sensing devices on the market that can identify situations such as vehicle congestion and fire hazards 24 hours a day and issue automatic warnings.

At the grid command and dispatch center, dispatchers immediately issue traffic control tasks upon receiving an early warning. Within one minute, the nearest grid worker will arrive at the scene. If the congestion is severe, grid workers from surrounding streets will also be dispatched – it's both fast and accurate.

Approaching sixty, I've become a beneficiary of smart grid management and information networks. Before, getting anything done required walking around to several departments, which was time-consuming and exhausting. Now, things are much better. A QR code for "Worry-free Everything – Get Things Done with a Scan" is posted at my stall; with a simple scan of my phone, I can handle property repair requests, policy consultations, and legal services all instantly.

In the evening, after tallying the day's harvest, all the vegetables we brought in were sold out. Although it was tiring working from dawn till dusk, my heart was filled with warmth. In the new year, I pray for favorable weather and a life as smooth and successful as the paths in this market.

(Interview compiled by reporter Zhang Wenhao)

Zhang Lifen, founder of Meizhou Yanshuangfei Ecological Agriculture Co., Ltd., Guangdong Province

Hoping for pomelos to be in full bloom again

In 2025, our Nanfu Village had another bumper pomelo harvest! The pomelo groves were laden with fruit, and the flesh was sweet and delicious. All 440-plus households in the village that grew pomelos saw an increase in income, and I feel even sweeter inside!

More than 10 years ago, I learned that a pomelo orchard in my hometown was for sale. Every plant and tree, the deep affection for my hometown, and the government's strong support for agriculture inspired me to return and start my own business.

I've been working at the Nanfu Golden Pomelo Plantation for over a decade, gradually expanding from just a few acres to more than 30 acres. Pomelos are incredibly valuable, but the golden pomelo growing cycle is long, and farmers only sell the fruit once a year, resulting in low economic returns. To extend the industrial chain and increase added value, I focused on deep processing of pomelo peel, developing new products such as pomelo blossom tea, and candied fruit products like red dates stuffed with pomelo peel and sea salt-flavored pomelo peel.

To expand product sales, I created video accounts and product showcases on social media platforms, and used the pseudonym "Sister Fen" to conduct live-streaming sales, gradually building the "Youyijia + Yanshuangfei" brand. Customer repeat purchases are the best word-of-mouth, and now online sales account for 80% of total sales, with the best-selling product being original-flavored pomelo peel candy. Furthermore, I have provided employment opportunities for more than 50 women in the village, enabling each to earn nearly 20,000 yuan more per year.

Besides its famous pomelo, Nanfu Village is also one of the first batch of model villages in Guangdong Province's "Hundred, Thousand, Ten Thousand Project". Every year in March and April, the pomelo groves in Nanfu Village bloom, with clusters of white pomelo blossoms covering the branches, filling the village with a delicate fragrance, attracting many tourists. Many villagers have started catering businesses, and their wallets are fuller. Not long ago, the village also established a "Strengthening Village Company", adopting a "Party branch + cooperative + base + farmer" model to provide pomelo farmers with production, supply and marketing services, and building a smart agricultural digital platform.

I look forward to the new year, when the pomelos will hang heavy on the branches again. I also want to improve the processing of pomelos and help everyone continue to increase their income and become wealthy, contributing more to the development of my hometown.

(Interview compiled by reporter Hong Qiuting)

Cao Yulu, a graduate of the Financial Engineering major at Shanxi University of Finance and Economics

Multiple measures to broaden job search channels

I graduated from Shanxi University of Finance and Economics with a bachelor's degree in Financial Engineering. In 2025, I successfully joined Shanxi Sanli Futures Co., Ltd. through the university's spring job fair, where I am responsible for internet business. This job is a perfect match for my major, and the salary and benefits meet my expectations. I am very satisfied.

To stand out in the job market, one must improve their practical skills. Our school has a partnership with Shanxi Sanli Futures Co., Ltd. for over 20 years. In the first semester of my senior year, the company offered our school its first "Futures and Wealth Management" micro-major, taught by industry experts. I enrolled without hesitation, not only successfully completing the course but also obtaining my futures industry qualification certificate. Currently, many universities in Shanxi offer "micro-majors" to help graduates fill knowledge gaps and enhance their competitiveness in the job market.

For two consecutive years, the province has listed the project to improve employment for college graduates as a key initiative for improving people's livelihoods. The university has paved the way for us, and through the "Visiting Enterprises to Expand Job Opportunities" initiative, it held five large-scale job fairs and more than 100 special presentations in 2025, including many key enterprises from both inside and outside the province, which has continuously broadened our job search channels.

The university's student employment service center became our "practical training station." Activities such as one-on-one career development counseling, employment and entrepreneurship lectures, career planning competitions, and career experience weeks enhanced our job-seeking competitiveness and job adaptability. During the job fair, the university brought services such as "resume clinics" and "professional image guidance" directly to the site, with company human resources managers providing us with precise guidance.

The school also provides a buffer period and training opportunities for everyone through transitional positions such as research assistants and administrative assistants, and opens up more diverse growth paths for us.

Looking back on my job search, my personal efforts were crucial, but the tangible help from the school and society was equally powerful. In the new year, I will continue to work hard, improve my professional skills, and confidently step onto my own stage.

(Interview compiled by reporter Fu Mingli)

(People's Daily)