Stable jobs providing incomes and self-respect

A woman with schizophrenia who lives in a poor county in Hebei province, North China, is finding life easier after starting a job that provides a steady income.

Zhang Suling, 48, has had the condition for 25 years.

The illness meant Zhang was unable to find a job, and her husband's working options were limited because he always had to be on hand in case her illness overwhelmed her. As a result, the family fell into poverty.

"I often had delusions and acted irrationally when I felt under great pressure," Zhang said, adding that life was so difficult for her family that she found it hard to endure daily existence.

The family's income, about 1,000 yuan ($145) a month, was mainly earned by Zhang's husband, who worked part time as a cook in Nanwa village, Xingtang county, one of the poorest areas of Shijiazhuang, the provincial capital.

"Before my illness developed, I occasionally worked part time as a provisional teacher," Zhang said.

However, her condition meant she was unable to work for long periods of time.

"My husband's income had to support all the family expenses, including my 15-year-old son's tuition, my medical fees and our daily spending," she said.

Poverty put her under great pressure, which resulted in her condition worsening to the point that she had two or three schizophrenic episodes a month.

However, the situation changed in May when Zhang was given a job as a seamstress at a working base for people with disabilities in Duyanggang town, about 4 kilometers from Xingtang.

The base provides a range of jobs suitable for the disabled, such as sewing, making flower garlands and working with computers.

"After training, I can make about 1,000 yuan a month," Zhang said, adding that the work makes her feel like a useful member of society and she hasn't experienced delusions or other symptoms in the past five months.

In addition, her husband has more time to work, and can now make about 1,500 yuan a month, which has made life easier for the family.

The base helps about 150 people with disabilities in the county to earn a living. Covering 1.3 hectares, it provides free accommodation and food, along with medical and psychological services to improve the workers' health.

"Instead of giving subsidies directly to disabled poor people, we are trying to establish a platform where they can earn both money and self-respect," said Yang Lizhong, Party secretary of Xingtang.

The base was set up by the county government in collaboration with a local company.

"It is an attempt to alleviate poverty for a particular group, and if the model is successful it will be promoted," Yang said.

Xingtang is home to more than 12,000 disabled people, about 3,000 of whom are impoverished.

"We are confident that they will all be lifted out of poverty in the near future," Yang said.