No road out: mountain villagers climb rattan ladder to leave

Children are climbing a rattan ladder for their trip to school in Geying Village, a mountain village in Guangxi, southwest China. They have to walk through mountains for 2.56 km (1.6 miles) to get to the nearest elementary school. Villagers have to climb the ladders or walk along narrow cliffs to leave since there is no road. Geying Village, located in the deep mountain area of Guangxi, is one of the poorest villages in China. The mountainous land form makes it hard to build any roads to the village. Most of the younger generation has decided to work outside of the area, in towns and bigger cities, with mostly children and elderly villagers left behind. Local governors are planning to move the whole village out. [Photo: VCG]