Written and Photography by: Deputy Project Manager Xiao Wei

To enrich the lives and spiritual needs of rural women, on the morning of March 10, 2026, the Humana People to People Chongqing Fengdu  Farmers' Clubs Project, together with the Women's Federation of Hejiaba Village Committee, held a Women's Day fruit platter creative competition themed "Skillful Women hands make Fragrant Fruits Fill the Village" in the village committee activity room. 34 women from all village groups participated in the activity, allowing these, who are usually busy with housework and farm work, to enjoy the relaxation and joy of the festival during the creative competition.

  At the event site, colorful seasonal fruits such as apples, bananas, sugar tangerines, cherry tomatoes, and red grapes filled the long table, implying good wishes of "safe and sound life", "sweet happiness" and "prosperous days", and also providing rich materials for creative creation. Meanwhile, to break the geographical boundaries of village groups and enhance exchanges and interactions between women from different groups, the project staff specially divided the 34 women into 8 mixed groups.

  As the host announced the start of the competition, the scene immediately became lively: members of each group divided the work and cooperated, with some responsible for peeling and cutting fruits, and some focusing on conceiving designs. The clinking of knives, the rustling of fruit cutting, and everyone's laughter and conversation intertwined, playing a joyful festive melody together. The women gave full play to their imagination and hands-on ability, combining ordinary fruits into creative works with unique shapes and beautiful meanings with their dexterous hands, demonstrating the ingenuity and craftsmanship of rural women.

   At the end of the activity, representatives of each group took the stage to showcase their works and explain their creative concepts. Looking at the "artworks" they had completed with their own hands, everyone wore a proud smile on their faces. These fruit platters of various shapes are not only creative combinations of ingredients, but also a collision of wisdom and aesthetics of rural women, and a vivid carrier of neighborhood friendship.

     "On ordinary days, we women in the village are either busy with housework at the stove or working in the fields. Even if we live close to each other, we rarely have the opportunity to sit down and chat," said a participating woman. This activity allowed all the women to feel the joy of the festival and make many new friends.

This activity not only built a platform for women in Hejiaba Village to show themselves and enhance exchanges, but also let everyone feel the warmth and care of the festival in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere, effectively narrowing the distance between neighbors, consolidated rural friendships, and injected warm strength into building a harmonious and beautiful rural life.

Project Introduction:

The Hejiaba Farmers' Clubs Project in Fengdu County, Chongqing City is implemented by the Chongqing Representative Office of FAIHPP (Switzerland) and the Fengdu County Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. Starting from December 1, 2024, the project cycle will take three years. Through the establishment of Farmers’ Clubs and core groups, the project will distribute high-quality rice seeds to villagers to carry out ecological rice pilots, plant fruit trees, raise free-land chicken, organize villagers' training, establish a direct selling cooperative with its own product brand, and build an Internet marketing platform, so as to help villagers develop appropriate productions and drive economic income growth. While fundamentally promoting rural development, the project also pays attention to improving of rural women's self-awareness, mobilizing women's enthusiasm, improving the household environment and promoting the construction of human eco-environment. At the same time, we should develop productions with women as the main force and encourage them to actively participate in the construction of family and rural production activities.

The article only represents the author's personal views.