Alimu sells kebabs on the streets of Bijie. Xinhua News Agency photo.
If people care more about each other, society will be more harmonious.
If I could set up a kebab stall near the Bird's Nest, business would definitely boom, and I could earn more money to help impoverished children.
- Alimu
The "good boy" of the Xinjiang people.
- Zhang Chunxian, Secretary of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Party Committee
Alimu is not a wealthy petty trader, but wealth has its price, while love is priceless. The not-so-affluent Alimu supports the most simple yet weighty charity work with a humble heart.
- Internet user "Guo Yangyang"
Uncle Alimu couldn't read much due to family poverty, so he believes social progress starts with education. Therefore, he chose to help poor students, hoping that we can contribute to society in the future.
- Zhou Yong, a sophomore at Bijie Experimental High School, who was sponsored by Alimu
Alimu, who has been helped by others, regards passing on love as his life and spiritual pursuit. He embodies the traditional virtue of mutual assistance of the Chinese nation.
- Qin Rupeng, Secretary of the Bijie Regional Committee
The 39-year-old Uighur man Alimu does not consider himself a "grassroots hero".
In December last year, he was selected as the annual online figure of "China Net Storyć»Touched 2010" with the highest number of votes. Yesterday, he was awarded the "Xinjiang Youth May Fourth Medal".
In eight years, he sold more than 300,000 skewers of grilled lamb kebabs, sponsored more than a hundred impoverished students, and the amount of sponsorship reached over 100,000 yuan. "If I could set up a kebab stall near the Bird's Nest, business would definitely boom, and I could earn more money to help troubled children." During the award ceremony in Beijing, while visiting the Bird's Nest, Alimu was still thinking about his "old trade".
[Sponsorship]
Selling 300,000 kebabs to help more than a hundred students
Born in Naemenmodun Township, Hejing County, Xinjiang, Alimu grew up in a poor family. His father was an employee of the local supply and marketing cooperative, and the family of nine relied entirely on his salary. When Alimu was in the second year of high school, his family could no longer afford his education, so he decided to join the army. Later, he returned to civilian life after discharge.
In 2002, Alimu passed through Zhenyuan County in Guizhou Province and participated in extinguishing a mountain fire. The local government rewarded him with 300 yuan in cash. Subsequently, he donated this prize money along with 200 yuan from his own pocket, through the Bijie Women's Federation, to a female student at Bijie University who was on the verge of dropping out due to poverty: "I realized for the first time that 500 yuan is just a small amount for many people, but it can make a big difference for impoverished students."
Since then, most of Alimu's income from selling kebabs has been used for donations and scholarships. Selling kebabs was once only his "livelihood," but now it seems to have taken on some additional "meaning".
"For all these years, whenever I had extra money, I would use it to help. Directly sponsored students number more than a hundred, adding up to over 100,000 yuan," said Alimu.
Selling one skewer of lamb kebab yields a gross profit of only 30 cents, and two years ago, the gross profit was only 20 cents. Accumulating 100,000 yuan requires selling at least 300,000 skewers.
[Donation]
Establishing the "Alimu Scholarship"
Four years ago, Alimu arrived at Bijie University with 5,000 yuan, proposing to sponsor some struggling students.
"A large stack of money, all denominations, still carrying the smell of grilled lamb kebabs." Tang Yuhua, the vice party secretary of Bijie University, clearly remembers, "Our feelings were very heavy. There are many people in this society who live more frugally than Alimu. For him, this was almost everything he had."
Soon, Bijie University decided to match 5,000 yuan, naming this smallest scholarship in the university "Alimu Scholarship".
"Without education and lacking culture, I can only grill lamb kebabs. Poor children must not end up like me," said Alimu, who joined the military during his second year of high school. He has a near-reverent respect for cultural education, "Only education can change people's thoughts and fate."
Alimu has a simple belief: "Writing words on stones may preserve them forever; writing on sand can only preserve them temporarily. Spending money where it should be spent is worth it."
"Saving money to help those children learn culture makes my heart very happy," said Alimu.
Now, Alimu plans to save money over the next ten years to open a left-behind children's school. Currently, Alimu also wants to get married, "The requirement is not high. She must understand my thoughts and support me in continuing to help impoverished children."
[Disaster Relief]
Purchasing beef and vegetables to send to Yushu
On April 14 last year, upon hearing the news of the Yushu earthquake, Alimu carried two large bags of luggage containing folding beds, bedding, and cooking utensils from Guiyang to Xining on the third day. In Xining, he purchased beef and vegetables worth more than 8,000 yuan and sent them to the disaster area.
"All I do is in gratitude to those kind-hearted people who extended a helping hand when I was in trouble," said the helpful Alimu, who always remembers those who helped him during his toughest times.
"If people care more about each other, society will be more harmonious," Alimu told reporters. Now, the preliminary draft of a song written for Alimu titled "How Big Is Love, So Big Is the World" has been completed.
Alimu said he always remembers a sentence his old squad leader told him during his military service: "Small is home, big is the country. When the country and the people need you, those who can stand up are heroes." According to Xinhua News Agency.