Yu Shu'ai cleans her new home in the Dingguo Bihu resettlement community in Anzhuang Township of Juxian county, Rizhao, Shandong province, May 12, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua]

When Yu Shu'ai lost her husband in 2012, life turned downright hard -- the medical bills had drained all her family savings, leaving Yu and her son in financial strain. 

In 2014, when the local government of Anzhuang invited Yu to join one of the township's poverty alleviation projects, her living conditions began to improve. 

To help impoverished people shake off poverty, Anzhuang resettled registered poor rural villagers who resided in the Qingfengling reservoir area, including Yu's family, and took advantage of the reservoir's water resources to develop multiple businesses such as orchards, tea plantations, wineries and hostels, using lands circulated from the resettled villagers. 

Under the project, Yu moved to Dingguo Bihu, a resettlement community, and became re-employed in new careers: processing tea leaves, planting grapes, tending apple trees. 

Besides salaries, Yu and her son are also entitled to dividends from the government-backed poverty alleviation businesses, as well as microcredit gains, resettlement subsidies and poor single mother allowances. Their annual family income has exceeded 30,000 yuan ($4,224).

Combination photo shows Yu Shu'ai posing near the spillway of the Qingfengling reservoir in 1998 (top, photo provided by Yu Shu'ai) and on May 13, 2020 (bottom, photo taken by Wang Kai), respectively. [Photo/Xinhua]

Yu Shu'ai shows a jar of tea made with tea leaves she has just processed at a tea factory in Anzhuang Township of Juxian county, Rizhao. [Photo/Xinhua]

Aerial photo taken on May 12, 2020 shows Yu Shu'ai and other villagers working in a tea plantation by the Qingfengling reservoir in Anzhuang Township. [Photo/Xinhua]

Yu Shu'ai processes tea leaves at a tea factory by the Qingfengling reservoir in Anzhuang Township of Juxian County, Rizhao. [Photo/Xinhua]

Combination photo shows workers constructing the Qingfengling reservoir in December 1959 (top, copy photo provided by the Qingfengling reservoir management office) and an aerial view of the reservoir on May 12, 2020 (bottom, photo taken by Wang Kai). [Photo/Xinhua]

Combination photo shows the old bungalow residence of Yu Shu'ai in November 2019 (top, photo provided by Yu Shu'ai) and Yu posing with her son in front of their new home in the Dingguo Bihu resettlement community on May 12, 2020 (bottom, photo taken by Wang Kai). [Photo/Xinhua]

Combination photo shows workers constructing the Qingfengling reservoir in December 1959 (top, copy photo provided by the Qingfengling reservoir management office) and an aerial view of the reservoir on May 12, 2020 (bottom, photo taken by Wang Kai). [Photo/Xinhua]

Yu Shu'ai processes tea leaves at a tea factory by the Qingfengling reservoir in Anzhuang Township. [Photo/Xinhua]

Aerial photo taken on May 12, 2020 shows the Dingguo Bihu resettlement community in Anzhuang Township of Juxian county, Rizhao. [Photo/Xinhua]