Qin Yuefei. [Photo by Deng Jia/Asianewsphoto]

Qin Yuefei

In 2011, Qin Yuefei, a 27-year-old who graduated from Yale University, decided to enter public service as an entry-level assistant in a remote village in Hunan province.

In Hejiashan village, the 27-year-old Yale graduate has raised more than 800,000 yuan ($116,000) to renovate dilapidated canals, pave roads, renovate the nursing home and procure tablet computers for the students. Villagers fondly call him "Brother Yale".

Qin also founded a project called Serve for China, which is dedicated to bringing young talented Chinese people to help alleviate poverty in rural areas.