Survivors wait to move into temporary homes

Survivors in the quake zone have been living in tents and shelters for over a month. The government plans to provide temporary housing for all households for three years.

For over a month since the quake struck, this woman has been cooking for her extended family in this kitchen she rigged up herself. Government assistance means they can afford some vegetables and staples.

She told us the government allocates each villager 10 yuan as well as half a kilogram of rice a day. This is enough to meet their basic needs, but she says self-reliance is important.

The camp is home to all the villagers of Leigu, a township of Beichuan County, the most severely hit region of Sichuan.

Life is gradually returning, though reconstruction takes some time. Vendors reopen their shops, and barbers do simple haircuts for minimum charge.

The government allocates a steady supply of donated goods and daily necessities. And aid comes from around the world. The packaging on these quilts says they were donated by the British government.

Li Yan, Director of Leigu Township said "Now roughly each household can have on tent. Thanks to the government and relief workers, we have basic daily necessities, such as rice, cooking oil and water. The villagers will soon move to the newly built temporary houses. But before that, schools, hospitals and welfare agencies will move first."

Nationwide help for locals to rebuild their lives can be seen everywhere.

Beside the tent camp, a truck equipped with a filtering system provides drinking around the clock. It's worth one and a half million yuan, and was donated by a water-processing company in East China's Shangdong Province.

Zhang Weifeng, Engineer of Shandong Province said "This truck was originally designed for military use. It can process all kinds of water into potable water. We've been here for over 20 days. It's an honor for us to do something for the quake-affected people."

The villagers have become quite used to their tent life, although conditions are far from ideal. Despite the hardships, they're learning how to become stronger after the disaster.

Most of the villagers of the Leigu Township are still living in tents. It's quite hot and humid during the summer time. Fortunately, they will move to makeshift homes next week and will spend the next 3 years there. And their experience living in these tents will become an unforgettable memory throughout their life.