Han Xiulan, 41, a formerly laid-off worker, won the Nanjing Women Business Creators' Award first prize.
Han was awarded a bonus of 17,000 yuan (US$2,000) for both creating a business and her contributions to society.
With the help of a Sino-German cooperation project, which aims to help more laid-off women to start their own businesses in the city, Han set up a chicken farm in Pukou District of the city after she was laid off in 2000.
Her business not only has a yearly production value of about 1 million yuan (US$120,000), but also provides 20 jobs.
"I am not afraid of the difficulties in creating a business, as long as I have a combative spirit and choose the right business," said Han.
Han was only one of the many beneficiaries of the Sino-German project.
Over the past few years, the Nanjing Municipal Labor and Social Security Bureau and the German Organization for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) have encouraged many women in the city to create new businesses and provided them with free information, training and consultation on self-employment.
To honor successful female business creators and emphasize their importance in economic development, the two organizations, in cooperation with the Nanjing Trade Union and Nanjing Women's Federation, set up the Nanjing Women Business Creators' Award last year.
Eight formerly unemployed female business creators were awarded for their businesses in Nanjing in 2002 and 2003.
A ceremony was held yesterday in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province.
Altogether, 105 formerly unemployed female entrepreneurs applied for the prizes.
The candidates are working in various fields, many in male-dominated areas, including advertizing, technical equipment, construction and agriculture.
The second prize was given to Wang Hongyan, who sells construction materials. Her bonus was 13,000 yuan (US$1,500).
The third prize went to Hou Qinghong, who established an agency supplying house-chore maids, with a 9,000 yuan (US$1,100) bonus.
Four women were awarded Excellent Business Creation Award with a bonus of 6,000 yuan (US$720) each.
(China Daily December 24, 2004)
