Jiangsu's youngest party delegate
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E-mail CNTV, October 2, 2012
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| Graduated from Tsinghua University, one of China's top universities at age 20, he chose to take a different path. |
Most college graduates immerse themselves in finding jobs at big and multinational companies, but for Shi Lei, it was a different case. Graduated from Tsinghua University, one of China's top universities at age 20 he chose to take a different path.
Shi Lei, Xihua Village Chief, Jiangsu Province, said, "When I graduated from college, I really wanted to do something meaningful and hands-on. So I went to the countryside. I did have an ideal in my mind but I thought action is more important than ideal. So I acted upon it by going to the countryside."
Shi Lei said, "When I just got here, I thought in my mind that I'm a college graduate, I'm knowledgeable and that I should use all of my skills to change the big picture of the village. But after arriving, I realized my knowledge of the village was actually very limited. With that said, it would be impossible to bring such big changes immediately. So my first task was to fully understand my environment."
In the beginning, Shi’s parents were against his choice of work. Living in a big city and working for big companies was something they have envisioned for their son. But Shi’s work ethic changed their views.
Shi Lei said, "For me, as a young man; I felt that I should use my wisdom and power to know what the villagers want me to do. And then think about how I could help them. That’s how it should be done. This is my progress and growth. So slowly my parents were able to see the changes in me."
Shi's duties range widely, from installing lights on the road to providing benefits to old and young to solving unemployment problems. He is meeting Shi Xingmei, who recently lost her job.
Shi Lei said, "You should go to the labor arbitration and tell them the reasons. First they fired you without giving you any reasons. And second, they didn't pay you insurance and didn't sign a contract with you."
Shi Lei asked, "What kind of job do you want to have?"
Shi Xingmei said, "I want to work near our village."
Shi Lei said, "Well in our service team, there’s a job for landscaping. And it is an easy job. You would have to work eight hours a day. Usually there isn’t overtime work. But if you have to they will pay you for it. And they will pay your insurance. They are very formal. It will be near the village, so you can take care your family too."
Shi Xingmei, Xihua villager, said, "The chief treats us well, he often comes to the village to talk to us."
Shi Xingmei said, "If you have a problem, you can tell the chief, he will solve the problems."
"Shi went to see Wang Yirong who is in charge of landscaping near the village to see if there’s an available and suitable position for Shi Xingmei."
Shi Lei said, "I will tell her to come here and you can see if she is suitable for the job. I think she has the skills."
Wang Yirong, contractor, said, "Tell her to come and I’ll see what I can do."
Shi Lei said, "I will tell her to contact you and you can see whether she can have the job. She has a tough life now."
"What I like most working here is to spend time with villagers. I work with individual human beings, not the statistics. That is the most important and I value that very much."
Four years have passed since Shi took this position and there are visible changes in the village.
Shi Xingmei said, "Before, we had dirt road. But now it’s cemented. After Shi because our chief, he built lights and installed security cameras on streets. We would not be afraid of thieves coming and steeling things and can live our lives more comfortably. I feel very safe."
Shi values this opportunity and wants to do the job well by providing more opportunities and better lives for the people.
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