Connie Mulder Centre’s very own masks
'There are different colours and themes just for the fun of it' - Connies about their very own face masks to keep Covid-19 at bay.
Staff members of the Connie Mulder Centre have embarked on a project to sew masks for the centre’s staff and residents in an effort to keep everyone safe from contracting Covid-19.
According to Sarie Diedericks, a caregiver who manages the mask-making project, the masks are made from scrap material proven to be 97 per cent effective.
Sarie said the project was started when it became clear that the centre could not keep up with the costs of buying masks that could only be used once.
“Although people need to protect themselves against the virus, we found it quite expensive, hence the ones we are making are washable and used repeatedly,” Sarie said.
By Tuesday, 14 April, 75 masks have already been made for the residents, security personnel, cleaners and everyone who lives or works at the centre. They get them for free.
“We just made ours a little bigger than most of the others, so it covers the whole mouth. It covers large parts of your cheeks and underneath your chin, so that there is no chance of any germs getting in. We also shortened the straps to properly secure the masks to our faces,” Sarie said. “People will be able to use them every day.
“We have different colours and themes just for the fun of it. I saw someone in town wearing a mask with ‘camouflage’ print, which is typically what most men would go for, while women would choose the floral or more plain ones,” Sarie said.
Angelena Mokwene, who is responsible for the sewing part of the production, added, “Since lockdown commenced, there is not much one can do, but now I spend most of my day making masks to help residents and everyone else feel safer.”
