HEFEI, April 27 (Xinhua) -- For Li Junchang, a 58-year-old poor resident working in a workshop in Yingshang County in eastern China's Anhui Province, a newly set-up phone holder, a reflector that used for livestreaming and the word "livestreaming" itself were both brand-new.

Although it was hard for him to understand the mode or even get the hang of livestreaming, Li can feel the faster work pace and benefits brought by it.

"Sometimes I would work overtime when the orders poured in," said Li, who worked together with his wife in this workshop manufacturing socks.

The workshop, established in 2017 by a couple, was one of the 90 workshops in the county aiming to lift poor families out of poverty.

However, the sudden COVID-19 epidemic has posed challenges to the selling of the products and thus to the income of those poor workers.

"We have employed 33 workers, 25 of whom are from poverty-stricken families, and their lives would be greatly affected if the socks are unmarketable," said Gu Changchang, owner of this workshop.

The booming livestreaming industry amid the epidemic inspired Gu to foray into livestreaming marketing after the factory resumed production in February.

Gu's debut was unsatisfactory, with only 70 viewers and one order during the two-hour livestreaming session.

Although upset, Gu kept her chin up. "I was kind of shy at first, but now I'm gradually familiar with the tricks and know-how to better present the products and interact with the audience," said Gu, who was deftly showcasing the newly produced socks via livestreaming and answering customers' questions.

Support from the local government gave Gu more confidence. "The officials help contact the supplier of raw materials and provide employment subsidies to the poor," Gu added.

Driven by livestreaming marketing and local policies, Gu's workshop embraced an upturn, with the number of daily orders increasing from about 200 in February to around 1,300 in April, among which the sales via livestreaming account for about 30 percent.

Li Junchang, who used to worry about sock sales, is now reassured. "I never thought that I could sell socks over the phone. I don't worry about my salary now," Li said.

"Although those poor households don't know much about the livestreaming, they all extol my wife as they know the livestreaming can guarantee their income," said Ma Xiaofei, Gu's husband.

As of April 21, all of the 90 workshops in the county have resumed production, offering jobs to 2,839 people, among whom 1,384 are impoverished.

Many grassroots officials have also joined livestreaming sessions to promote local agricultural products. In March, senior officials from six poor counties in Anhui sold 246,000 agricultural products via livestreaming, with sales reaching 20.1 million yuan (about 2.8 million U.S. dollars).

"I hope to sell more socks via livestreaming and help more poor people shake off poverty," said Gu, adding that livestreaming has become her daily routine now.