Africa is no stranger to pandemics. Tragedy and necessity have taught us to take action quickly and forcefully. Today, in Kenya, it is illegal to leave the house without wearing a mask. At the same time, to say masks are in “short supply” is such an understatement, it’s almost funny.
What is abundant in Kenya, however, is ingenuity.
So, let’s talk ingenuity. A few weeks ago, I was thinking about the mask situation. Suddenly, I realized NTS has a tailoring program! Masks … sewing… why not create a mask-making business for our tailoring students???
Not only are our students are stuck at home with nothing but time on their hands, but their families are struggling. Most of their parents, if they still have jobs, are low-skilled day laborers, working in markets and factories, earning barely enough for daily survival. So, giving our students a way to earn money at home by making masks provides them with extra income to support their family, an opportunity to practice their skills while schools remain closed, and keeps them safe at home.
For the last few weeks, I’ve been working with my team to launch the NTS Mask Making Initiative. It’s been a highly creative exercise in strategy and public health as we’ve worked through everything from finding a pattern that can be easily hand stitched (no one has a sewing machine at home), to organizing safe delivery to each student, and preventing virus spread both when fabric is delivered and masks are returned.
Here’s a condensed overview of what we’ve accomplished:
- A generous donor gave us a bolt of 100% cotton fabric, needles, and thread. It was enough to make 200 masks.
- Our tailoring teacher, Mr. Silas Matagaro found a pattern (courtesy of the NY Times) that can be sewn by hand. He refined the pattern and then cut the fabric for 200 masks.
- The fabric and supplies were then distributed to 10 tailoring students with pattern instructions. Our Community Leader, Mr. Tangaso, dropped off the supplies to each household on a motorcycle I lent him, maintaining safe social distancing protocol at each home.
- The students let everything sit for 3 days, to ensure all supplies were virus free.
- They each hand sewed 20 masks keeping 2 for themselves. The others were returned to the school, again using Mr. Tangaso as our emissary.
- We have distributed 2 masks to every NTS family with instructions on safe usage and cleaning.
We have not made any money yet, but with Covid-19 looming in our long-term future, the next step is to scale up into a real business. We are exploring the possibility of becoming a government supplier. The Kenyan government has begun contracting with small businesses and we are exploring how to join the roster. I’ll keep you posted.
We welcome your ideas! Comment below or drop us a line at info@nyamboyotechnical.org
p.s. We have another innovation in the pipeline. To be unveiled soon… Watch this space!