A Tale of Two Cities Supporting Xinjiang

During his junior year winter break, while most of his classmates were planning trips or internships, Reheman dragged a suitcase full of computers and textbooks and boarded a train back to Xinjiang.

"This time when I go back, I want to do something practical."

He sent this message to a group of Xinjiang students in Dalian.

Gulnazar replied, "What is my senior going to do?"

"Teach my fellow villagers how to sell cotton using a mini-program."

Reheman typed, "I studied e-commerce operations at school and also took a cross-border e-commerce course as an elective."

The good things from our hometown shouldn't just wait for middlemen to buy them up at low prices.

The group chat immediately became lively:

"Support the senior!"

"My family also grows cotton; let me know if you need any help!"

"Senior Brother Reheman, I can help with graphic design!"

Reheman felt a warm feeling in his heart as he looked at the messages flashing on the screen.

These younger students who once needed his help have now become partners who can support each other.

When the train arrived in Kashgar, Reheman's father picked him up in his old pickup truck.

"Dad, I'm not going straight home," Reheman said, loading his luggage into the car. "I'll go to the village committee first."

The father looked reluctant. "You're going to the village committee right after you get back? Your mother made pilaf and is waiting for you."

"I have important business to discuss. I have an appointment with the village chief to talk about online cotton sales."

The father started the car and shook his head: "It's that e-commerce thing of yours again?"

"Let me tell you, the elderly people in the village can't even use smartphones properly, let alone do online sales..."

"That's why I need to be taught, Dad. I can't let the knowledge I gained in Dalian go to waste."

"The cotton in our village is of such good quality, it shouldn't be selling for this price."

When they arrived at the village committee, the village chief, Erken, was already waiting.

He was a middle-aged man in his forties who was open to new things.

"Rehman, can that little program you mentioned really help us sell our cotton for a good price?" Erken asked.

Reheman opened his laptop and showed the plan he had prepared in advance: "Village chief, look, this is a case study of agricultural product mini-programs in other regions."

Consumers can directly see the cotton's growing environment, harvesting process, and quality inspection reports. Transparency builds consumer trust and makes them more willing to pay higher prices.

"But who would buy it? Don't people all buy ready-made products from stores?"

"Young people nowadays like to buy raw materials online and make their own handicrafts. We can also connect with cultural and creative companies to sell our high-quality cotton to businesses that make high-end handicrafts."

Erken stared at the screen intently, then nodded after a moment. "Sounds promising. How can we get the village's cooperation?"

"First, we need a dedicated room as an office, with internet access; "

Second, I will gather some young people and train them.

Third, cotton grading needs to be more standardized; the cotton quality grading standards previously promoted by Abudu can be used.

"Abudu?"

Erken remembered, "Is that the young man who got into vocational school and often came back to teach the children?"

Reheman laughed and said, "Yes, he's studying agricultural trade now, so we can cooperate."

Reheman's "e-commerce training class" started in the village committee's meeting room.

A dozen or so young people arrived, the youngest being eighteen and the oldest no more than twenty-five.

"Don't be nervous, everyone," Reheman said, standing in front of the whiteboard. "Let's start with the basics: how to take pictures of cotton."

Someone in the audience laughed: "Anyone can take a picture, right?"

Reheman held up a bunch of cotton: "Then you try to take a picture of this bunch of cotton in a way that makes people want to buy it?"

The young man took the phone and snapped a picture.

In the photo, the cotton is piled up in the corner, the light is dim, and it looks unappealing.

"Look, the way we shoot it, the cotton looks very ordinary. Let's try a different approach—"

He walked to the window, placed the cotton in the sunlight, adjusted the angle, and took a close-up photo.

In the photo, cotton fibers shimmer with a silky sheen in the sunlight, against a blurred backdrop of cotton fields.

An exclamation arose from the audience: "Wow, the same bunch of cotton looks completely different!"

Rehman explained: "This is visual marketing. When consumers buy things online, the first thing they see is the picture."

We want to showcase the most beautiful aspects of cotton.

Over the next few days, Reheman taught everyone how to write product descriptions, how to set prices, and how to process orders.

He also used the English he learned in Dalian to teach some simple reply templates.

"If a foreigner makes an inquiry, you can reply like this..."

Reheman wrote on the whiteboard:

Q: Is this cotton organic?

A: Yes, grown without chemical pesticides.

"Senior, our English isn't very good."

A young man named Adil scratched his head.

"It's okay, these are fixed phrases, just memorize them."

Reheman encouraged, "And it can be used in conjunction with translation software."

The important thing is that we dare to communicate with the outside world.

On the fifth day of the training course, Abudu arrived on his motorcycle.

Abudu smiled and handed Reheman a stack of documents. "I heard you're up to something big. This is a cotton grading standard I've compiled, along with contact information for several potential clients."

Reheman took the documents, his eyes lighting up: "Perfect timing!"

"Could you explain the grading standards to everyone? You're the expert in that."

Abudu did not refuse and stood in front of the whiteboard: "Fellow villagers, why can't our cotton be sold at a good price?"

It's not because the quality is bad, but because there's no standardized grading system...

He explained it in a simple and easy-to-understand way, using real objects to demonstrate the differences between different grades of cotton.

The audience listened attentively and asked questions from time to time.

After class, the two sat and chatted at the entrance of the village committee.

"How's the promotion of your grading standards going?" Reheman asked.

Abudu took a sip of water. "Take it slow. Some of the villagers find it troublesome and don't want to go through all that trouble."

But young people are quick to accept it, and several villages have already started doing it.

Rehman proposed, "Let's cooperate. You can be in charge of the standardized grading and supply of cotton, and I will be in charge of online sales and customer relations."

"Great idea! I can also contact Ms. Guzalinur. She needs high-quality cotton for her cultural and creative products, which could form an industry chain."

Rehman remembered the name, "Is that the teacher who makes Uyghur handicrafts?"

"Yes, she's doing well now, but she still needs to promote herself."

Abudu said, "I can use my expertise to help her design promotional copy, but you are better at e-commerce operations."

Reheman slapped his thigh: "It's settled then!"

Let's join forces and truly promote the best things from our hometown.