In the vast eastern Gansu loesslands lies the tranquil village of Xigouquan, where Ma Yinping, a dedicated deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC), serves as the Party secretary.

Ask anyone in Xigouquan about Ma and you will be met with an affirmation of her tireless efforts in uplifting the village.

Since taking the role as the Party secretary of Xigouquan village in 2016, Ma has shifted her focus from her own livestock farm to the welfare of villagers. Believing that helping those in need is more meaningful than personal gain, she has meticulously recorded every detail of villagers' needs in her notebook and worked tirelessly to address them.

Ma has initiated tailored poverty alleviation measures for each impoverished household in the village, including relocation and housing renovations for more than 200 households. She has also promoted livestock breeding, traditional Chinese medicine cultivation and grain production, securing subsidies of over one million yuan ($138,600) for rural industrial development. Infrastructure improvements such as road construction, flood control projects and environmental sanitation have transformed the village's landscape.

Under Ma's leadership, the village has witnessed significant progress in agricultural development, infrastructure enhancement and rural governance. Her initiatives have revitalized abandoned land into high-standard farmland and increased maize cultivation, boosting the income and morale of villagers.

"It is important to deliver real benefits to villagers," she said. "When the roads are accessible, the village is beautiful and industries thrive, everyone's lives will become more prosperous."

Since being elected an NPC deputy in 2018, Ma has been dedicated to addressing various issues concerning the well-being of the communities she serves. She has conducted field research to listen to voices from the grassroots and advocated for the construction of a railway and support for ecological conservation projects along two rivers in the region, which have received positive responses from relevant departments.

Over the years, Ma has submitted more than 40 suggestions to NPC sessions, focusing on energy security, ecological conservation and rural vitalization. Her commitment to serving the people has helped government address issues related to people's standard of living.

Returning to her hometown after each NPC session, Ma would engage with local communities, explaining government policies in an accessible manner and acting as a bridge between the people and the government.

"My goals are to convey the voices of the people to policymakers, and bring the good policies of the Party and the country to every household in the village," she said.

Ma Yinping (first on the right), Party secretary of Xigouquan village of Zhenyuan county in Northwest China's Gansu province and a deputy to the National People's Congress, talks with her fellow villagers. [Photo provided to npc.gov.cn]

Gong Yixi contributed to this story.