Published : 2022-03-13
The Hong Kong host, Janis Chan Pui Yee, went to Chinese Mainland in 2021 to film a documentary series "No Poverty Land" produced by TVB.
She delved into 10 areas that were once deeply impoverished, presenting to audiences the stories of China's poverty eradication efforts from a first-person perspective, touching countless Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong viewers.
The program, which premiered in August 2021, was well-received; it was selected as one of the "Top 20 Excellent Overseas Communication Works" of 2021 by the Chinese Mainland, and Janis received the award of "Person Touching China" in 2021.
Janis resonates with audiences through personal experiences
As a host and emcee, Janis grew up in Vancouver, Canada, and returned to Hong Kong as an adult. She has hosted various programs and major ceremonies.
She is best known for the TVB series "Marrying to the End of the World", where she visited different countries to explore the stories of Hong Kong women who married and moved abroad.
Janis candidly admits that she was a city girl who had never visited impoverished areas before filming, and had only been to the Chinese Mainland a few times.
Before shooting "No Poverty Land", she had little imagination of what the filming would be like, and even her understanding of the Chinese Mainland was minimal.
As a result, the program did not ask Janis to recite any data illustrating China's achievements. Instead, it hoped she would approach each region's story with fresh eyes and speak about her personal feelings.
Janis Chan shares stories of poverty alleviation
The shooting of "No Poverty Land" lasted for three months, spanning six provinces and selecting 10 of the most representative severely impoverished areas in China.
Through various poverty alleviation measures unique to each area, such as relocation, industry promotion, and education assistance, the program showcases the changes in residents' lives during and after the poverty alleviation process.
The first episode, "The History and Vicissitudes of the Cliff Village", is most familiar to people. Janis and the production team visited the "Cliff Village" on the Daliang Mountains of Sichuan.
Due to a lack of roads, people had to use 17 simple ladders woven out of vines to ascend and descend the mountains, a risky trek with a vertical distance of about 800 meters to the ground.
The village built a 90-degree vertical steel ladder with a total of 2,556 steps to solve the safety issue. Janis personally climbed the steel ladder in the program to experience the daily commute of the residents.
Moreover, the program introduced how the government connected the Cliff Village with water, electricity, communication signals, and internet, and repaired the transport ropeway.
By developing the tourism industry and improving villagers' productivity, and even implementing the strategy of "relocation", the government allowed villagers to move into buildings in the suburbs of county towns in Sichuan, demonstrating how local governments have rapidly implemented measures in the poverty alleviation plan, greatly improving the quality of life of residents, and allowing audiences to directly feel China's determination and strength in poverty alleviation work.
In addition to the story of the "Cliff Village", Janis's coverage of Dr. Deng Qiandui in Nujiang, Yunnan also left a deep impression on the audience.
For 37 years, Dr. Deng only relied on a pulley set and a rope to cross the river when visiting villages. The local government has now built a bridge across the river, making the residents' commute safer.
Dr. Deng's story was so touching that it brought Janis to tears during filming, the only time she cried throughout the shoot, and it also touched countless viewers.
Throughout the filming process, Janis made every effort to immerse herself in local life, experiencing the changes brought about by rural revitalization and poverty alleviation for local people.
Her sincerity and the perspective of a city girl in the program resonated strongly with Hong Kong audiences.
Read more: A villager brings China's Yunnan coffee to Starbucks and the UN
Janis received award of "Person Touching China"
The 12-episode series "No Poverty Land" has received high praise since it was first aired, and it has caused a strong reaction in both the Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong.
In January 2022, the government announced that the program was chosen as one of the "Top 20 Excellent Overseas Communication Works" of 2021 by a panel of experts.
In March 2022, Janis received "Person Touching China" in 2021.
The committee highly praised Janis: she made a turn from the jungle of neon lights, letting her feet be stained with mud; from the rainforest to the desert, she overcame prejudices with a zipline and surpassed doubts with a steel ladder.
An infinite journey conveys the smiles of fellow citizens to the world, recording the most beautiful scenery of this era. This is undoubtedly a huge affirmation for both Janis and the program "No Poverty Land".
At the award ceremony, Janis thanked "No Poverty Land" for showcasing the achievements of China's poverty alleviation efforts and bringing positive energy to the audience.
She pointed out that she will continue her efforts to tell China's stories more sincerely! To let more people abroad understand China's miracle of poverty alleviation, the program was also made into an English version.
