Wang Guiying has been a street cleaner in Yanji, Jilin province, since 1993. For more than 20 years she has worked silently and conscientiously in the streets and never missed any work because of her private affairs.

Wang used to work for an agricultural machinery factory, but in 1993 the factory was closed and she lost her job. Worse still, her husband also lost his job in a plastic factory and the entire family had no source of income.

Wang's husband was in poor shape at that time and Wang became the only worker to support the family. She was under much pressure but did not give in. After a suggestion from her relative, Wang decided to join a sanitation company and became a cleaner.

Wang Guiying sweeps waste in the street. [Photo/Xinhua]

Many people persuaded her to choose another job, as cleaning can be tiresome and may bring with it disrespect. However, Wang refuted them, saying "I choose this job and I will try to do it well." She said the cleaning work may be tiring but it relates closely to people's lives.

In the past 24 years, Wang treated her job seriously. She never delayed her work even when her parents passed away. On her son's wedding day, Wang also put on her working uniform and went back onto the streets after the wedding dinner.

Wang is responsible to a bustling street in which fruit, meat, and vegetables booths line both sides, which makes the cleaning work difficult.

Wang "patrols" the street, carrying a large garbage pack. [Photo/Xinhua]

Every day, Wang cleans the street several times only to keep it tidy. Residents in the area gradually started to change their attitude toward cleaners and began to throw rubbish into dustbins after seeing Wang so hard at work.

Wang is now in her 50s and she is still working on this street, cleaning to give people a tidy shopping environment. She is an ordinary cleaner, working every day on the streets, but she is also an extraordinary city beautician, serving people all year round.