Hu and West Talents for the East

Opening of Digital Center:

Recalling those days setting to the business of Digital Center, Hu became unstrained excited.

In the past, especially in winter, people in Yellow Sheep River liked enjoying sunlight and chatting in their courts, looking harmonious but not knowing if they could change the their poor life. Just like Hu said ‘They would rather leave today’s work to tomorrow, chatting and gossiping till sunset and go home for dinner and then sleep.’

They built the Digital Center and West Talents for the East from nothing. They had no experience, no capital and no support from any authorities. Although Town and Talent had come to an agreement of recruiting workers with Guangdong Chengda Shoes Company and it only needed Hu to find the proper workers in the village, it was hard to persuade the conservative people in Yellow Sheep River to work and start new life in the far-away Guangdong. To them, it was unbelievable and unimaginable. However, the strong desire for changing local villagers’ poor lives and the hard-won opportunity drove him carry on. It was imperative to establish Digital Center. At first it only had one manager and two employers, but they were passionate and made contribution as much as they could. After all, the Center began to hit the road.

A lot of villagers came to inquire during the first days after Digital Center just opened, but curiosity was gone in a short time and Yellow Sheep River remained what it was used to be. Hu and his colleagues realized that they could not wait in the office for the villagers coming voluntarily. After all it needed courage for those who never left home to work in such a distant place. Thus they began to come to the villagers’ homes to introduce the project.

‘I am from Yellow Sheep River Vocational Secondary School and we are now cooperating with Town and Talent company finding a good job opportunity for your children. This is our brochures, please have a look.’ These words were repeated for uncountable times. But some of the villagers just gave a confused look, some just smiled and some said ‘Are we so lucky to have such a good thing?’ What made them sadder was that some of the villagers wrapped cigarettes with the leaflets.

In January 2005, it was terribly cold in the mountain areas in the northwest of China. Hu rode a motorbike along the mountain road, with his fingers and feet frostbitten, but full of confidence. Hu and his colleagues introduced from the salary and welfare of factory to the project and the future of Yellow Sheep River. Finally they got 63 enrollees and smiled satisfactorily.

Training:

It was quite a challenge for most of the 63 villagers to work in such a far and big place like Guangdong. Some of them even never went out of the town. To protect them and be responsible for the employer, Hu trained them in respect to the factory’s regulation, workers’ rights, living condition and food difference in Guangdong. He even gave them one-week computer training. Their parents also came to study for they wanted to contact their children via internet.

On their way to the strange place, the curious eyes kept watching through the window. They were looking forward their future. Hu was encouraging them and had many expectations.


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