While everyone panics at the deadly coronavirus outbreak, the small rural community of Ha Sekantśi are using it as an opportunity to generate income by making and selling facial masks.
They are doing this through the Ha Sekantśi Sewing Project that was inaugurated a year and half ago to promote both self-sufficiency and skills acquisition.
The founder of Possible Dreams Foundation, Justice Kalebe, says the project’s main focus has always been on making school uniforms for children in the village but the Covid-19 pandemic has seen them take advantage of the new demand for masks.
“There are six machines that were bought in Maseru through a donation of a friend of ours who is based in the United States of America; they are used by 10 women with the help of their trainer, Mphihleng Mafa.
Kalebe who is himself a member of the community, said the women produce at least 50 masks a day and the figure looks set to soar.
“Some of the community members will start wearing them this weekend when they attend the funeral of an eminent member of the community Mr Mabula Mohale who died at the age of 74.
“Most of the community members were saying the virus will not infect them because they wear balaclavas but, at the end of the day, it is all about raising awareness and sanitizing people.”
Outlining some of the challenges facing the Ha Sekantśi community in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, Kalebe said: “Transportation is not easy anymore, services have been restricted because of lack of transport.
“Shops are far but they make sure they go early when they want to go purchase groceries. The community is however pro-active in ensuring that they are already aware of what needs to be done. Possible Dreams Foundation is helping the community.”
