New Year on the Frontlines: African wife doubles as livestream host in Nanyang
Hanna and her husband Feng Zheng sell local mushrooms through livestreaming at home in Xixia, Nanyang, Central China’s Henan Province on February 10, 2026. Photo: Zhu Peixian
Editor's Note:
This year marks the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the opening year of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30). A new year begins with new resolve and new momentum. The call to "fight for our dreams and our happiness, and turn our great vision into beautiful realities" continues to inspire actions across China.
In the column "New Year on the Frontlines," reporters from the People's Daily traveled to the grassroots to witness the vitality of a vast nation, see its mountains and rivers in motion and its fields in abundance, and listen to the stories of people finding fulfillment in both life and work.
Through these stories, the column seeks to present a vivid portrait of Chinese modernization.
Frying hairtail, slaughtering pigs for the Spring Festival, making dumplings, pasting couplets… In Beiyu village, Xixia county in Nanyang, Central China’s Henan Province, an African wife is busily enjoying herself.
“This is my seventh Spring Festival in Xixia. I know exactly what to do for the holidays!”
Hanna and her family write good luck posters for the Spring Festival in Xixia, Nanyang, Central China’s Henan Province on February 10, 2026. Photo: Zhu Peixian
Gareda Rahel Chala is from Ethiopia, whose Chinese name is Hanna. She met and fell in love with her husband Feng Zheng, who ran China-Africa trade in 2016, and moved to Feng’s hometown in Xixia with him in 2019.
“Here in Xixia, I’m just an ordinary villager. Life feels down-to-earth and fulfilling,” Hanna said, looking back on the past seven years.
When she first arrived, she spoke no Chinese and knew nothing about local customs. But with the help of her family and neighbors, her Chinese improved greatly, and she quickly integrated into rural life.
At first, Hanna only wanted to record her daily life in China on her cell phone. Unexpectedly, her posts became very popular online. As her fan base grew, villagers brought her their home-grown kiwifruit and shiitake mushrooms, hoping she could “help sell their agricultural products out of the mountains.”
In 2023, Hanna became a livestreaming host, mainly promoting local specialties such as kiwifruit, honey and shiitake mushrooms.
“Xixia kiwifruit is the best — sweet to the heart!” is her most-used line in front of the camera.
She sticks to an authentic livestreaming style, showing viewers vivid scenes of mountains, rivers and fields. “Some netizens commented that they used to think Henan was all flat plains, never expecting such beautiful mountains and rivers here,” she said.
As she gained more attention, Hanna realized, “Online popularity means not just higher income, but also a heavy responsibility.”
In 2025, Hanna established a direct channel connecting farmers, livestreamers and consumers, with total sales exceeding 600,000 yuan ($86,000), helping agricultural products from her village and surrounding areas reach wider markets.
After years of hard work, she has built a loyal fan base. Fans always ask and place orders in advance when kiwifruit, honey and shiitake mushrooms are in season.
“China’s countryside is my home. I feel very happy here,” Hanna said, believing that rural China is full of promise.
“With just a mobile phone, we can connect to the national market. Technology has given farmers more choices and more opportunities.”
With government support in planting techniques, logistics, and e-commerce training, she and her husband plan to build storage facilities locally to extend the sales period of agricultural products, making their livestreaming business broader and more stable.
