Zheng Shaozhong, Dai Linfeng, People’s Daily
Abdullah Urasimu is a man from northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region running successful barbecue business in Nanchang, capital of east China’s Jiangxi Province. However, the endeavor of the man, who now owns 44 chain restaurants, is known by few.
“Every restaurant of mine represents ethnic unity, as I could have achieved nothing these years in Nanchang without the help of my brothers of Han nationality.” That’s what Abdullah always says.
Abdullah and his wife arrived in Nanchang in Sept. 2002 after a five-day trip on a hard-seat train. Due to the different arrival times of passenger and freight trains – something that the couple failed to figure out then, they were trapped in an awkward situation that they arrived much earlier than their 160 kilograms of raisins did, and all they had was 40 yuan (about $5.72) in cash.
Fortunately, they were helped by the warmhearted who offered water and food to them and helped them get through a 3-day difficult period at the train station.
Abdullah is from Moyu County, Hotan Prefecture in southern Xinjiang. In 1997, he traveled eastward with a relative to seek a livelihood. He once sold sweet Xinjiang raisins in many Chinese provinces, including Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Jiangxi.
“Liang kuai qian yi liang (2 yuan for 50 grams)” was the first sentence Abdullah learnt to say in Mandarin.
“My customers never bargained with me, as they consider the efforts it took me to bring the products from a place so far away. Some even thanked me for the deals,” said Abdullah, adding that these details warmed him.
When he first settled in Nanchang, Abdullah failed to find an appropriate dwelling because of tight budget. Relevant departments of the Nanchang municipal government, after learning his condition, found one for the couple and promised them that they could pay the rent after they made enough money.
Abdullah’s dried fruit business encountered low season in summer as these months in Nanchang were always rainy. Therefore, to find a new way to make a living posed a big problem for him.
By chance, Abdullah met a woman who sold pancakes. “She was doing very well with her business. And she taught all her techniques to me to help me out, all for free,” said Abdullah, who set up a pancake stall at Nanchang railway station after he mastered the skills in 2007, and gradually gained a foothold in the city.
“When you make friends with good people, your flowers blossom,” Abdullah often says this Uygur adage.
Starting from 2010, Nanchang started improving the environment around the train station and requested to remove the food stalls there. For quite a time, Abdullah couldn’t understand the decision and hardly accepted it.
Xu Yong, a local police officer explained relevant policies to Abdulla, telling him that running unregulated food stalls was not long-term plan, and he would only secure a livelihood in Nanchang with his own restaurant.
What Xu said made Abdullah realize the importance for him to own a restaurant, so he rented a place soon and started his barbecue business which has been on an upward trajectory since then.
“I was offered ‘green channels’ by the market supervision, tax and municipal management departments when I went through the formalities for opening the restaurant. I was always told by the officials that I can work hard and make a name. They said they would help me through difficulties,” Abdullah recalled, sharing his memories of the early days of his restaurant.
In 2017, Abdullah registered a catering management company, and so far, it has incubated 44 chain restaurants and employs more than 240 people.
In an effort to help more fellow-townsmen from Xinjiang increase income, Abdullah, with the support of the organizations of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in Jiangxi and Xinjiang, serves as the leader of a management and service team for migrant workers and business people from Hotan.
When recruiting, Abdulla would prioritize his fellow villagers who want to secure a job in the inland, and teach them how to cook and roast. He also offers interest-free start-up loans for the star performers.
Besides, he has invested tens of thousands of yuan and established a Mandarin training center together with a local management committee of Xihu District. The center has held six training sessions so far, benefiting more than 200 people.
“Xinjiang and Jiangxi are both homes to me, and I love them both,” said Abdullah.
阿卜杜拉·吾拉西木的创业故事
人民日报记者 郑少忠 戴林峰
阿卜杜拉·吾拉西木（见图，本报记者戴林峰摄）有节奏地翻转着成把的肉串，信手抓起一小把孜然，均匀撒下，香气扑鼻。这间充满烟火气的阿布拉江烤肉王餐厅，距中国江西省南昌市中心八一广场仅300多米，食客络绎不绝。
很多人并不知道，眼前这位拥有44家连锁店的维吾尔族汉子，曾一度为生计沿街叫卖。
阿卜杜拉常说：“我的每个店面都是民族团结的窗口。这些年，如果没有汉族兄弟的帮助，我在南昌什么都干不成……”
2002年9月，阿卜杜拉和妻子坐了5天5夜的火车硬座来到南昌。由于没搞清客货运的时间差，夫妻俩刚下车便遭遇窘境——托运的320斤葡萄干还在运输途中，兜里只剩40元现金。
幸好，周围的热心人伸出援手，这个递瓶水，那个送炒粉，帮着夫妻俩在火车站里度过了3天。
阿卜杜拉的故乡是新疆和田墨玉县。1997年，随亲戚来内地闯荡，阿卜杜拉先后辗转江苏、浙江、江西等地，售卖饱满味甜的新疆葡萄干。“两块钱一两”，成了阿卜杜拉学会的第一句汉语。
“顾客看我大老远来，从不还价，有的付完钱还说声‘谢谢’。”这些细节让阿卜杜拉感受到了脚下这片红土地的温度。
刚在南昌落脚时，因为手头紧，阿卜杜拉一时没找到合适的住处。南昌市有关部门得知情况后，委托做房产中介的吕庭杨帮他们夫妻俩安顿好，还应允阿卜杜拉赚了钱再交房租。
南昌夏天雨水不少，干果生意进入淡季，如何找到新营生？
一次偶然的机会，阿卜杜拉遇到一位卖煎饼的大姐，“她的生意非常好，看我不容易，就把摊饼手艺毫无保留地教给了我，分文未取。”2007年，学成后的阿卜杜拉在南昌火车站广场支起了煎饼摊，从此逐渐在南昌站稳了脚跟。
“跟好人交朋友，你的花儿会盛放。”这句维吾尔族的谚语，阿卜杜拉时常挂在嘴上。
2010年，南昌市对火车站周边环境进行综合整治。面对城管的撤摊要求，阿卜杜拉一度很不理解。南昌市公安局西湖分局民警徐勇上门做阿卜杜拉的思想工作，耐心讲解相关政策。
“摆摊不是长久之计，有了店面才能在南昌扎下根。”徐勇的话使阿卜杜拉意识到了进店经营的重要性，并在不久后租下了一家店铺经营烤肉生意。自此，生意走上正轨。
“办理开店手续，市场监管、税务、城管等部门给我开了绿色通道，安排工作人员帮我办理证照。他们经常跟我说，要好好干，做出品牌；有困难，大家一块想办法。”提起开店的历程，阿卜杜拉有说不完的话。2017年，阿卜杜拉注册成立了餐饮管理公司，如今已拥有44家连锁店、员工240多人。
为带动更多乡亲增收致富，在江西和新疆两地党组织的支持下，阿卜杜拉挑起了和田籍务工经商人员管理服务工作队队长的担子。对有意愿来内地务工的乡亲，阿卜杜拉先安排到自己餐厅跟班，学习烹饪、烧烤等技能，并为表现优异者提供无息创业基金。阿卜杜拉还投资数万元，与西湖区丁公路街道合作创办国家通用语言培训中心，目前已举办六期培训班，200多人参加培训。
“新疆和江西，都是我的家，一样的家，一样的亲。”阿卜杜拉说。
