Feature: Restless recovery on post-quake Sichuan

Picking up the pieces

Employment has been a top priority since the earthquake. In the past year, the Mianzhu labor bureau has offered more than 18,000 public-welfare posts at modest salaries, such as warehouse store work or street sweeping.

Meanwhile, training programs in sewing and construction have covered around 6,000 people, according to Chen Shanyong, the bureau chief.

Jiangsu, which is responsible for the point-to-point assistance to Mianzhu, offered another 50,000 jobs at five large job fairs, and 6,000 locals were taken to the coastal province.

"In spite of the earthquake, we didn't encounter major problems in employment creation last year," Chen says.

But the reality turns out to be less positive. Liu's niece, Jiang Mingyu, says it is difficult to set up her own tailor shop, as she wishes and the government encourages.

"Where can I get the initial funding to launch my business? It's true that they have in place micro credit loans, but the plan targets university graduates or young farmers.