American donated US$5,000 to China farmer for tree planting decades ago invited to view forest

A Chinese woman who has planted trees in the deserts of Inner Mongolia for decades has contacted an American man who donated US$5,000 to her and invited him to visit a forest that came into being because of his funding.Yin Yuzhen, 60, was awarded as a National Model Worker by China’s State Council in 2000 for her long-term anti-desertification efforts.Hailing from a poor family in northwestern Shaanxi province, Yin married a man who lives in Maowusu Desert in Inner Mongolia in the 1980s.American Ronald Sakolsky, right, pictured with farmer Yin Yuzhen, centre, when he donated the US$5,000. Photo: SinaThe desert, which is also known as Ordos Desert, is one of four major sandy lands in the country.Since then Yin and her husband engaged in planting trees there by overcoming challenges brought by drought and high winds.After Yin’s persistent efforts were reported by state media CCTV in 1999, Ronald Sakolsky, who taught English at Luoyang No 2 Foreign Language School in central Henan province at the time, was moved by her and donated US$5,000 to Yin.School vice-principal Bai Fan, above, just before he called Sakolsky to make the invitation. Photo: Sina“I have never seen such a big amount of money before. It made me surprised,” Yin told the news portal The Paper.“I used the money to buy more saplings and planted more trees. When Mr Sakolsky visited me, he saw me planting trees in the desert. Seeing the land filled with yellow sands, he shook his head, saying ‘impossible, impossible’,” she recalled.Those saplings have turned into more than 50,000 big trees, said Yin.Sakolsky, above, accepted the invitation and said it would be “awesome” to visit the forest. Photo: SinaIn early May, Yin asked the Henan school to find Sakolsky. On May 17, Bai Fan, vice-principal of the school, called Sakolsky, telling him that the saplings had grown into big trees.“Yin Yuzhen and her family invite you and me to see the forest. They miss you a lot. They are looking forward to seeing you in the desert in Inner Mongolia,” said Bai on the phone.Sakolsky replied: “That would be awesome. I cannot wait.”The fully grown forest, above, which Sakolsky’s money helped create. Photo: SinaThe current personal details of Sakolsky were not released in the report.Further Reading“Mr Sakolsky, we would like to invite you to come back to China to witness how the US$5,000 you donated many years ago has become a large forest,” said Yin.It is not clear when Sakolsky’s trip to China will be made.The story has attracted widespread attention in China.Yin, above, said at the time of the donation that she had never seen such a large amount of money. Photo: Sina“This is really moving. I am touched by both parties’ kindness, trust and perseverance,” said one internet user.Another person said: “It is a great example of folk friendship between China and America. I expect to see the follow-up of their story.”By the end of 2024, 53 per cent of China’s manageable desertified land has been effectively treated, resulting in a net reduction of 65 million mu (about 4.3 million hectares) of desertified land area, according to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.China is the first country in the world to achieve both the zero increase of land deterioration and the shrunken area of desertified lands, said the authority.