Blind man strikes unlikely partnership with double amputee to conserve environment

China: It's fair to say these two men aren't letting their disabilities hold them back.

One is blind and the other a double amputee, with no arms.

But their impairments haven't stopped them planting 10,000 trees in 10 years as they work together to protect their community from flooding and earn a living.

In fact, the two men, Jia Haixia and Jia Wenqi, who have been friends since childhood, complement each other perfectly, acting as each other's eyes and arms.

For the past 13 years, the men have made the daily walk to an eight-hectare plot of land in rural China, which they lease from the local government.

Once there, using a hammer and metal rod, they plant as many trees as they can.

And their prolific rate is down to their expert teamwork.

Haixia, 54, and Wenqi, 53, went to school together in the tiny village of Yeli in northeastern China, and describe themselves as being "like brothers".

Just to reach their plot, Wenqi, a double amputee, has to lead the way through a forest, guiding Haixia, his blind companion and colleague, who holds on to his sleeve.

To get across a river, Haixia has to climb onto Wenqi's back while his armless pal wades through the water, reports the BBC.

Describing the dynamic, Haixia said: "I am his hands, he is my eyes. We are good partners."

Haixia was born blind in his left eye due to a cataract, and lost sight in his right eye in 2000 after an accident in the factory where he worked.

Wenqi had his arms amputated at the age of three when he touched an unprotected electric cable and received a high voltage shock.

At work, Wenqi uses his shoulder to hold a plough.

The pair receive a small income from the local government for their work.

Haixia said: "For me it is not complicated. I'm disabled and don't want to be a burden on my family, so I plant trees. After ten years the trees will grow and I will get money."

The dynamic duo's work involves them taking cuttings from trees they planted years earlier. To reach the best cuttings, Wenqi climbs on Haixia's shoulders.

A three-hectare site is now covered with trees and nesting birds.

Haixia is hopeful that a cornea transplant could cure his blindness. But even if he regains his sight, he insists he will continue working with his lifelong friend, Wenqi.