A Bridge to Prosperity

Zhang Changcheng is 55-years-old and has a senior middle school education, but is now the President of the Association of Self-employed Workers at the Dongmen Market of Small Commodities in Lixia District, Jinan City of Shandong Province.

Zhang Changcheng is very well-known to the people of Jinan, and was honored with the "51" labor medal of Jinan City in 2002, model worker in 2004 and awarded the "bright star" in 2006 for supporting individual businesses.

However, few people know of his past, when he was laid off in his forties with no skills and no funds. He searched for employment everywhere to make a living. Later, he started his own shop by selling handbags, but business was difficult due to lack of funding.

With the help of the Roofing Rural Cooperatives, Zhang received a government-subsidized micro credit in 2004 and opened two additional shops in a short period of time. Zhang's living conditions greatly improved, with an annual net income of 98,000 Yuan (US$15,856) in 2006. He traded in his less than 30-sq-meter house for a bigger one of 120 sq meters.

Zhang Changchun has embarked on the road towards prosperity. As the President of the Association of Self-employed Workers, he serves as a bridge by introducing others to the idea of expanding their businesses through micro credits, with total credits of more than 80 million Yuan (US$12.94 million).