Residents in Songjiagou village in Kelang county perform drum dance to celebrate Spring Festival. [Photo by Zhao Wenjun for China Daily]

Having lived in Gangou, a remote mountainous village in Kelan county in the northwest of Shanxi province, for generations, Lyu Rutang and his family members desperately wanted to move to new a place with better conditions.

Surrounded by the Lyuliang Mountains, Gangou is a barren area with lack of sufficient land for farming and poor access to both roads and electricity.

Lyu's wishes came true in 2017, thanks to a poverty alleviation relocation program launched by the county government.

That year, Lyu and his fellow villagers, all of whom were registered as impoverished residents, moved to a new settlement in the village of Songjiagou some 15 kilometers away.

Located on a riverside plain and neighboring the county seat, Songjiagou has far better conditions for farming, employment and business creation.

The 57-year-old Lyu founded a cattle farm soon after he settled in Songjiagou.

"This is a husbandry cooperative among several villagers, using a special loan of 400,000 yuan ($62,000) for poverty alleviation," Lyu said.

Over the past three years, the cooperative has grown steadily in scale and attracted more farmers. Lyu was recognized by the county government last year as a model worker for his work and leading fellow villagers to prosperity. He was awarded 20,000 yuan for the recognition.

Lei Wenbin, Party secretary of Songjiagou, spoke highly of Lyu's enterprising spirit in changing people's lives for the better amid adversity.

"Lyu is a hardworking man with strong willpower. He would not have been on the poverty list if not for a tragic accident," Lei said.

Lyu's daughter died and his daughter-in-law was severely injured in a traffic accident in early 2017. His plight was intensified with his wife confirmed to have cancer, according to Lei.

"The tragedies cost him his fortune," Lei said. "But he never gave up."

Lyu gave special thanks to his fellow villagers and local officials, who donated a total of 40,000 yuan to save the lives of his wife and daughter-in-law. His new residence in Songjiagou was provided by the local government for free.

The charitable gestures motivated Lyu to work even harder in the hope of repaying the caring people as soon as possible, Lei said.

Lyu's business continues to grow and now includes a cattle range in his former village of Gangou.

Medical herbs have been planted in Gangou, offering a new source of revenue for the residents now living 15 km away in Songjiagou.

Lyu is not willing to stop working, even during slow seasons. He works part-time jobs at a nearby wind farm and on a construction site.

"I'm getting closer to my goal of paying back those who helped me," he said. "I told myself to just be patient and life will keep moving."

Wang Liqiang contributed to this story.