After the provincial aid campaign was launched in 2007, the government invested 14 million yuan ($2.07 million) to improve infrastructure and develop local industries such as tourism and tea, said Yang Hongan, head of Bajiao Town.

Before the aid campaign was carried out, houses of the village had been similar to the houses of Han people in architectural style. The HERAC first helped restore the Dong style of the homes, and then sent some villagers to Guizhou Province with communities of Dong people to learn songs and dances.

Fengxiangpo Dong Village Tourism Area was opened in April. There, tourists can enjoy local songs and dances, experience Dong lifestyle and eat Dong food. Since then, the village has received more than 220,000 tourists and the revenues generated from the tourism industry have totaled 10 million yuan ($1.48 million). The per-capita income of farmers in the village increased from less than 2,000 yuan ($295) in 2006 to 5,000 yuan ($739) in 2009.

Feng returned to his hometown and opened his hotel and restaurant in 2007. Just after it was opened, the monthly sales were 10,000 yuan ($1,477) and he could just break even. But, as the number of tourists grew, the revenue of Feng's restaurant did too. "Now the sales can be 30,000-40,000 yuan ($4,431-5,908) and the net profits can reach 10,000 yuan," Feng told Beijing Review.

Besides abundant tourism resources, the areas inhabited by ethnic minorities are also rich in tea, tobacco and medicinal materials. The participating departments of the aid campaign have put great effort into establishing famous tea brands, such as Enshi Yulu tea. According to the HERAC figures, in 2008, the output value of the tea industry in Enshi totaled 600 million yuan ($88.63 million). In Wufeng Tujia Autonomous County, the output value of the tea industry amounted to 346 million yuan ($51.11 million) in 2009, and the tea planters earned 151 million yuan ($22.3 million).

Lichuan Tujia Livestocks Co. Ltd. in Enshi is a company involved in pig rearing and processing. Information released by the company shows that, as part of the aid campaign, the company received funds of 8 million yuan ($1.18 million) and loans of 15 million yuan ($2.22 million), and built a production line. The production line was completed in May 2010 and is expected to generate sales of 75 million yuan ($11.08 million) this year and offer nearly 200 job opportunities.

Improved infrastructure

Tenglong Cave Scenic Area in Lichuan County, Enshi is an area of limestone caves. In the beautiful caves, visitors can enjoy a song-and-dance drama that tells a legend of the Tujia ethnic group. As part of the provincial aiding campaign, the cave area received funds of 150 million yuan ($22.16 million), building 5.5 km of footpaths and installing various illumination facilities in the caves.

Meanwhile, the tourist highway to Enshi Grand Canyon, with a total investment of 150 million yuan, is under construction to facilitate tourism. Moreover, a 30-km tourist highway connecting Tenglong Cave and Enshi Grand Canyon, with an estimated investment of 300 million yuan ($44.31 million) will also be built, when a feasibility report is completed.

To solve the water shortage, in 2003 the county began to build the No.2 Water Factory and Yemaohe Reservoir. The total investment for the project is 65 million yuan ($9.6 million), but the county faced a 34-million-yuan ($5.02 million) budget shortfall. After the provincial aid campaign was launched, the county completed the project in July 2009. The daily water supply increased to about 2,000 tons, effectively solving the water shortage.

There are other accomplishments in efforts in improving infrastructure. In Enshi Prefecture, electricity is installed in all the villages and 96 percent have road access. As well, broadcasting and television services now cover 98 percent of villages. The Yichang-Enshi section of Shanghai-Chongqing Expressway is open, the Yichang-Wanzhou Railways begin operation this year and the expansion project of Enshi Airport has been completed.

"All these have fundamentally improved the transportation facilities of our prefecture. The dreams of expressways and railways that Tujia and Miao people have expected for generations are coming true and this will facilitate our economic take-off," said Qu Hezhi, a senior official of Enshi Prefecture.