The remoteness of the village hindered its development. Choisa first tasted rice when he was more than 10 years old. The clothes he wore were his father's hand-me-downs, and the soles of his shoes were made from recycled tires.

A village primary school was opened in 2005 so Choisa's two daughters and son could attend lessons. Even though he upgraded the material of the family home from thatch to adobe, it remained a humble dwelling.

Last month, construction of a 3.8-kilometer paved mountain road to the village was completed. Choisa can now travel directly to the county seat by bus in two hours.

The local government has also built 33 two-story villas, each with a floor space of 80 square meters, for the villagers to live in. Choisa has already moved most of his family belongings into his new home.

The mountain road also means one of his daughters can attend a junior high school in a nearby town.