LISTENING: Qin Yuefei (right) talks with Zou Disheng, president of a rest home for the elderly in Hejiashan Village, central China's Hunan Province (XINHUA)

Twenty-seven-year-old Qin Yuefei completed studies at Yale in May 2010 with a dual major in politics and economics. However, he gave up opportunities for high-paying jobs in banks and securities firms to go back to China and serve rural people in Hejiashan Village, central China's Hunan Province, in 2011.

Qin passed a special civil service exam to join ranks with about 210,000 other village officials throughout rural China. The Central Government expects the number of village officials to swell to 600,000 by 2020 according to its "one village official in each village" plan, launched in 2008, to employ talented urban youth to invigorate rural government leadership.

Qin regards his position as a learning experience about healthcare services, relations between villagers and the development of public works, particularly irrigation and drainage.

Still a new member in the village, Qin raised a total of 800,000 yuan ($128,560) to fund public services in his first year on the job.

Before he came to Hejiashan, villagers had complained about a canal in urgent need of repair, delayed by lack of funds. Qin got in touch with a rural charity foundation in Beijing via the Internet. He convinced the director to provide the village 100,000 yuan ($16,070) to restore the canal.

Qing Yuefei (Yangcheng Evening News)

When studying in Yale, Qin actively participated in various activities including soliciting sponsorship. "Negotiation with sponsors is not that easy. Most attempts failed, but I did succeed several times," he said.

That was just a beginning, after which he was determined to keep trying.

As over 60 percent of young farmers in the village work in cities, the elderly and the young are left behind. But the 38 beds at the village's only nursing home were far from enough. Qin managed to solicit 300,000 yuan ($48,210) from another foundation for the rest home's expansion, which was ready for use in January.

"He is a man of action. We all trust him! I often tell my kids to learn from him," said villager Kuang Wenmei.

In addition, Qin raised funds to buy tablet computers for 700 students of four primary and middle schools near Hejiashan. With interactive educational software, students can get remote guidance from volunteer teachers via the Internet.

Qin's hard work paid off. He gets along with villagers, who view him as a local. "We hope that there are more and more officials like him. We all hope that he can stay here," villager Chen Chuntao said.

In fact, Qin is a city boy, and his parents are salary workers from Chongqing Municipality, some 1,000-km drive from Hejiashan.

In September 2012, villagers elected Qin as one of two candidates during the election of People's Congress, the legislative body, in Hengshan County. Usually, a newcomer is not on the list of candidates, but he won 85 percent of 3,547 ballots.

"For years, I saw many young officials who came for short-term rural experience, but I admire him most," said Hu Chuanjia, the village's head, who has been a local official for 20 years.

"Life here gives me a bigger picture in mind which I can use to solve problems," Qin noted. "Every day is fresh. What I got from here has proven my decision."

(Source: Yangcheng Evening News, Huaxi Metropolis Daily)