China is marking its first ‘national poverty relief day’. Beijing said it lifted around 660 million people out of poverty between 1978-2010. However, poverty relief is still a big challenge. CCTV America’s Guan Yang reports.

Before dawn each morning, Chen Shijie is at work before the rest of the city. While most people are still in slumber, he sweeps litter off the streets before the rush hour begins. Laid off in 2001 from a large state-owned enterprise, the 41-year-old now makes barely enough to get by.

His salary of 1,700 yuan or $280 per month supports himself, his wife who suffers from uremia, and their 14-year-old daughter. It’s been 10 years since the family ate out for dinner. His daughter Jianan hopes that she can one day earn more money and help others.

“Someday when I grow up, my dream is to open a hospital to treat patients like my mom, and to ease their pain,” she said.

The family is still struggling. While the country’s improved health-care insurance system has helped them cover most medical bills, living on a shoestring budget brought an emotional toll.

With a limited skill set, Chen said it’s almost impossible for him to land a job with a decent income. He’s not alone. According to the medical journal Lancet, nearly 13 percent of Chinese households are burdened with a ‘catastrophic’ levels of health expenditures, even with the assistance of social insurance.

The growing gap between the rich and poor is seen in a number of countries that are considered to be prosperous. In China, for millions of urban dwellers who live below poverty levels such as Chen, the benefits of the country’s growth have yet to trickle down to the people who need it the most.