Left-behind women seek more support (2)

"I'm worn out at the end of the day. But the next morning I still have to pull myself together and get back to work that seemingly can never get done," said Huang, who now suffers severe periarthritis of her shoulder due to years of heavy work.

What makes life harder for such women are feelings of loneliness and insecurity.

Qin Xiaoling in Chongqing has to take care of two teenage sons, her 63-year-old mother-in-law and grandfather, aged 91. Her husband is away in Fujian Province working on construction sites.

"I get stressed if the older relatives get sick, and then I desperately need my husband to be by my side," the 40-year-old said.

Qin said she looks forward to the day when her husband no longer has to work away from home to pay their sons' tuition fees. "But I know when that day comes, we will both be old," she said.

The result from women being left behind is a development gap between rural and urban areas, according to Tong Xin, a professor with Peking University's sociology department.

"Many rural households have sacrificed their normal family life for better earnings," Tong said.

The professor suggested the government invest in small- and medium-sized cities, where more job opportunities can be created for rural couples so they can afford a house and resettle together.

"In this way, urbanization will not hamper family life," Tong added.

In recent years, the Chinese government, along with non-governmental organizations, have made attempts to help alleviate loneliness and stress for left-behind women.

More than 220,000 support groups have been set up across the country to help such women with production, parenting and employment, and provide them with psychological counseling.

One such group in the county of Liangping has been helpful to women like Huang Libi, assisting them in grapefruit cultivation and marketing.

The ACWF also provides preferential loans to left-behind women who are willing and able to start up their own businesses.

"I hope there will be fewer women left behind. The real way out lies in the development of rural areas and resulting backflow of migrant workers," said Liu Yulan, head of the women's federation in the township of Hexing.

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