Building a More Prosperous Yamda

Today broad asphalt roads radiate in all directions from the center of the city. One, lined with solar-powered lights, crosses the fields of waving crops by the village and passes by Purbu's front door. It is part of a RMB 6 million infrastructure project funded by the local government.

Buses commuting between the village and Lhasa stop here every half hour, making Purbu's regular pilgrimages to the Potala Palace much easier. She goes to the religious shrine three times a month to pray. Motorcycles are the dominant means of transport in the village, but most families own other vehicles such as tractors and trucks.

"Current policies give people more options, and everyone is duly rewarded for the efforts they make. People with greater abilities get better returns," said village chief Jigmei. Half of the population of Yamda is now involved in transportation, and another 20 percent have jobs in Lhasa, with the remaining 30 percent being either the elderly, who are all covered by a new pension scheme for rural residents, or children.

Better income and social security have led to profound changes in everyday life, including to daily meals. Though Purbu's family maintains a large crop of barley, it is not only used for food. They barter the grain for meat and butter, or sell it to a local brewery, which has signed a collective supply contract with the village and buys at a price 10 percent above the market price. Barley cake is no longer the main foodstuff and locals enjoy a diverse and nutritious diet with more and more vegetables, now grown locally, while eating in a restaurant is no longer a luxury.

Back in her new home, Purbu tells us about the guestrooms that she keeps, which she says will be filled with the noise and laughter of visiting friends and relatives during the Tibetan New Year. "With a more comfortable life and a bigger house, we expect more guests," she says, beaming with delight.