On the early morning of May 28, Zhang Cujiao, a villager from Daguodian village in Heze's Mudan district, walked to a nearby workshop to start her day's work.

Zhang, a mother of two, has a father-in-law who is severely ill. Besides farming, the family largely depends on her husband, a migrant worker working in another city, for money.

A female works at a nearby workshop in village. [Photo/dzng.com]

The family is registered as a poor household in the village. With the help of the local government, Zhang found a job at a nearby workshop last year. She earns more than 2,000 yuan ($280.69) a month.

"I never thought I could find a job at my doorstep," Zhang said.

"Now I can earn money and take care of my family at same time. During the busy farming season, I can finish farm work before coming back to work."

Zhang said her family feels less of a financial strain now.

Heze government is providing jobs for impoverished rural residents by establishing a number of small businesses in villages. [Photo/dzng.com]

As of April this year, there were a total of 3,063 poverty alleviation workshops in rural areas of Heze, Shandong province, employing 37,086 villagers, among whom 6,017 are from poverty-stricken households, local officials said.

"We have made targeted efforts to help poor people find jobs at their doorsteps and increase their income," said Zhang Xinwen, Party secretary of Heze.

Zhang said that the local government has been working hard to achieve the goals of eradicating abject poverty and building a moderately prosperous society in all respects by the end of this year.

Villagers work at a poverty-alleviation workshop in Heze, Shandong province. [Photo/dzng.com]