PROJECT
​INTRODUCTION

In Pingxiang, Jiangxi Province, five families have come together and are continually exploring ways to support their households. Pneumoconiosis is a systemic disease primarily characterized by diffuse pulmonary fibrosis, caused by the long-term inhalation and retention of industrial dust during occupational activities. It is the most common and major occupational disease in China. According to relevant statistics, China has approximately 6 million pneumoconiosis patients, 95% of whom are farmers. Pingxiang City, Jiangxi Province—known as the “Coal Capital of Jiangnan” with a century-long industrial history—has had generations working in the coal industry. From the early 1980s to the late 1990s, mining was the backbone of local economy, employing tens of thousands of migrant coal workers. Due to a lack of occupational health awareness, professional knowledge, and protective measures, many miners developed pneumoconiosis after prolonged exposure to massive amounts of dust. Because pneumoconiosis is irreversible, incurable, and has a long latency period, patients face high medical expenses and poor quality of life. Limited awareness of the disease leads to severe complications; environmental and social pressures diminish patients’ confidence in life, making their conditions harder to manage. Additionally, primary hospitals prioritize medical treatment over rehabilitation, and there is a shortage of rural doctors, further weakening long-term recovery of the patients. Overall, the situation of pneumoconiosis prevention and treatment in Pingxiang is very serious. In the past 2-3 years, there has been a concentrated and widespread outbreak, severely affecting the livelihood and survival of affected farmers. Many families have fallen back into poverty due to illness, threatening the achievements of poverty alleviation efforts and even affecting social stability. Because the difficulties faced by pneumoconiosis patients are so particular and severe, public attention often focuses only on the patients themselves. Influenced by traditional culture, the self-awareness of “pneumoconiosis mothers” (the wives of pneumoconiosis-affected patients) remains weak, and they have collectively “lost their voice” regarding their own rights. As a result, their problems have long been overlooked and have grown increasingly serious. These “mothers”, due to their lack of knowledge, have narrow channels for acquiring knowledge and economic resources. This cycle of hardship directly affects the survival and quality of life of pneumoconiosis farmers and the basic security of their families. To better protect and support them, Xingjian Philanthropy established a Pneumoconiosis Mothers Support Group in Lianhua County. The area, part of a government-backed rural revitalization and tourism zone, has fertile land long used for growing rapeseed and black sesame, attracting tourists every spring when the rapeseed flowers bloom. Since the group’s establishment, Peng Sijiao and four other “mothers” from pneumoconiosis-affected families have regularly gathered to plant rapeseed, take scientific farming courses, and conduct group activities on home-based rehabilitation management knowledge for pneumoconiosis patients. At first, the mothers were unable to shed the identity of “recipients of charity.” Many discussions and suggestions would end with the same phrase—“Whatever you arrange is fine.” Over time, however, they began to form their own ideas and realized that true change comes from their own actions. Ms. Xiao Li, the head of Xingjian Philanthropy, observed their transformation closely, “They’ve started saying, ‘I think…,’ and asking how things could be done better.” During the project, Xiao Li fully supported the mothers’ entrepreneurial efforts in their local communities. Each month, the program provided one session of agricultural expert guidance and four group development activities, helping them learn scientific methods for planting crops such as rapeseed, sesame, and ginger. The professional support group activities organized for female caregivers in pneumoconiosis families have effectively reduced their physical and mental stress, built networks of mutual support, fostered confidence, and encouraged them to face life’s challenges with resilience, enhancing their survival skills and psychological strength.