Many people have moved into new homes after Yushu's devastating earthquake last year. Our reporter Xu Zhaoqun looks back on the challenges relief workers faced in the aftermath and how hard it was to build on the plateau.

Yuanwu village is about twenty kilometers from Jiegu town, the capital of Yushu Prefecture. But Cairen has rarely visited the town over the past year, because the road condition is too bad.

The Cairens were given a tent, fully equipped for basic living, as a temporary home after the earthquake. Cairen’s wife says everything is fine except that it's a little cold in the winter.

So sitting in the sun is their favorite thing to do during the day.

Cairen, Local Tibetan, said, "The herdsmen in the village live scattered around the mountain. And the new homes have to be built here and there. I see the workers are beginning to seal the roofs of the houses. They told me the houses will be finished by June.”

Cairen is generally satisfied with his new house. He is happy with its solidity and warmth, but complains it is smaller than his old one.

But he may not know how difficult it was to build.

There are only about five or six months a year on the plateau available for building work. All the materials have to travel more than seven hundred kilometers to get here. Other problems include low productivity due to altitude sickness, power and fuel supply shortages, and the soaring price of building materials and labor.

But the new homes in the countryside and the public facilities in the town are all about to be completed.

Wang Tongzhou, Sinohydro Construction Team, said, “Working on the plateau is indeed a major challenge for us. But this is not an excuse for us to postpone the time to hand over the keys of the new houses. This is not only the company's business, but also a significant project for the nation and its people. Trust us, we will do our best. "

The new house Cairen has chosen is closest to his temporary one.

"I am not sure if this one will be mine, the village committee is in charge of allocation.” Local resident Cairen said.

Before the winter, more than 90 percent of the villagers will move into their new homes.

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