In Chen's office, the most eye-catching thing is a sewing machine set beside her desk. "I mend clothes for the elderly, so as to save some money for the welfare center," the director explained. "Besides, I have another craft. Since 1992, I have been playing the role of a barber to cut hair for our more than 80 inmates." Chen pointed at her barber's tools with pride.

The Welfare Center of Xianyou County has at present 81 inmates, the oldest being 92 years old and the youngest, only several months. All of them are disabled and homeless.

It is not an easy and pleasant job to serve disabled people, who cannot take care of themselves in daily life. But Chen said, "Born to a poor farmer's family, I have encountered many widowers, widows, the disabled and orphans, so I have a deep understanding of their sorrows and pains. When we take good care of these disabled and homeless, offering our services in trivial things such as escorting them to see a doctor, or helping them with haircut, washing, cleaning, bathing and etc., they'll feel the warm concern from the Party and the government. We all live in the big socialist family."

Chen said it is far beyond her expectation to be selected as a delegate to the 16th CPC National Congress. "What I have done is nothing special but carrying out a Party member's responsibility," she said.

Chen holds that a more comprehensive social security system should be established in the country under the current social conditions. She is doing a survey for setting up welfare centers in rural areas. Such centers built in county towns should be different from those homes for the elderly and should provide a comfortable home for the disabled, elderly and homeless people so that they, too, can live a happy life.

(China.org.cn November 10, 2002)