Once-barren, environment around Yeli Village on the banks of Ye river in northeastern China were barren. Now it has over 12,000 trees irrigated by a small canal, all thanks to very unlikely but two dedicated friends: one blind and one without arms who decided to do something extraordinary for the mother earth. Since the past 12 years, the duo has planted and watered cedar trees near their own Village located in Hebei province.
Jia Haixia, 54 was born blind in one eye and lost the other in 2000 in a work-related accident.
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Jia Wenqi,53 lost both of his arms in an accident when he was only 3 years old.
They met years ago when both of them were unable to find jobs because of their respective disabilities.
But they both knew that they want to preserve their environment. The duo rented a barren land for free, and started planting trees.
Together, they’ve leased 8 acres of land from the government and have begun replanting the land with trees to protect the village from flooding.
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They begin their day at 7 am, carrying only a hammer and an iron rod.
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Haixia climbs the trees to cut off the boughs that are then grown in the holes they dig in the ground.
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Wenqi diligently waters them. ’I’m his hands,’ says Haixia. ’And he’s my eyes. Together, we make a good team.’
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What an extraordinary thing these two ordinary man with disability did for the environment!
