SEAMSTRESS Samela Matiso from KwaNobuhle has been making about 40 face masks a day in a bid to decrease the spread of Covid-19 and to protect the people in her community from contracting the virus.
Matiso who has been running her seamstress business from home for eight years, originally began making masks for her family when she first heard about Covid-19 in March to protect them from the virus.
As the virus continued to spread throughout Nelson Mandela Bay, Matiso felt the need to make face masks for people in her community as well.
“When I first started making the masks I made only single layered masks, but now I make triple layered masks because they provide better protection and they have been recommended by the Department of Health,” said Matiso.
To ensure that people were protected, she included a filter cloth in between the two layers.
“I make safe types that looks nice as well. I use a pattern that covers the chin, mouth and nose. The pattern also helps to make the mask comfortable to wear and allows for easy breathing,” she said.
Despite having a back problem, Matiso makes at least 40 masks each day and sells the single layered masks for R15 and the triple layered masks for R40 a mask.
Owing to the vulnerability experienced by elderly people, Matiso has been donating face masks to pensioners in her community.
“Older people desperately need the face masks so I donate them. I want them to protect themselves against Covid19.”
Matiso hopes to obtain an industrial machine in the future in order to produce more masks at a faster pace.
Following the announcement of the nationwide lockdown in March, Matiso’s business came to a halt, but since she started making face masks, she has received a great amount of support from people in her community.
After advertising her masks on WhatsApp and Facebook, she has also received orders for face masks from people in Despatch and Port Elizabeth.
“Selling masks is currently my only form of income so making masks and receiving orders from many people is a way for me to put food on the table for my family.”
