Dong girls in festival dress
Girls from the Dong minority of Congjiang County, Guizhou province in southwestern China. An estimated 106 million ethnic minorities account for less than 10% of China’s population but more than 50% of its poor. Although a popular tourist destination for its unique customs and festivals, Conjiang is one of the most disadvantaged areas of China.
The MDG-Fund and the Chinese government are working with ethnic groups to help them use their culture and identity as a foundation for their own economic development, and to develop national policies that favor minorities.
Photo by UNESCO