Unfortunately, the little girl died of disease in less than six months. Since then, Bamu has never left her hometown to work.

Her third baby also died a few days after birth in 2011.

"In that time, there was only one dirt road leading to the outside. People travelled by horse carriage. Poor health care conditions caused the deaths of many newborns who were delivered at home," Bamu said.

The fortunes of her family began to change after a targeted poverty relief project was introduced to the village.

Following in the steps of many fellow villagers, the couple started growing cash crops, such as tobacco leaf and fruit trees, in their fields.

After the first year of trial planting, they earned less than 6,000 yuan due to a lack of expertise and experience. Nevertheless, they saw the hope of a prosperous life. The next year, her family was registered as an impoverished household by local government and they received help, such as skills training and tobacco seedlings from a cadre who was paired up with the family to help them rise up out of poverty.