Last month, when class X students of Shri Jagadguru Thontadarya Vidyapeeth School collected money to organise an event to worship the Goddess Saraswathi and provide food to teachers and students, they never thought that schools will be shut down due to COVID-19 pandemic. However, when their school was shut and they could organise the event, they decided to spend all the money to make masks.
Kotresh Menasinkai, Headmaster, Shri Jagadguru Thontadarya Vidyapeeth School who is proud of his students, explains, "Every year, before the class X students attend their exams, we hold an event to worship Saraswathi and provide food to our students as well as teachers. This year, it did not work out. Students had contributed Rs 20,000 and it was with the school administration. Since, we were not able to conduct online classes for them, we have created a WhatsApp group so that students can clear their doubts with teachers. A few days ago, some students discussed this idea of stitching masks and we decided to take it forward."
However, it was difficult for the school team to procure soft cotton clothes and elastic bands to make these masks. "I contacted a shop owner who actually provides uniform materials to different schools. There is a strict lockdown in Gadag and police were not allowing anyone to travel. As we told them what we had in mind, they agreed to procure materials for us. Initially, we were able to get a small amount of material and elastic bands from the textiles shop person."
But the next challenge was who would stitch these masks as tailors were not available during lockdown. Then, Kotresh checked with their school teachers if they have a sewing machine at their home. Most of the teachers had one with them. "We asked them if they can stitch masks and they agreed to it. Hence, we distributed the material among teachers and in a span of two days, they were able to stitch more than 500 masks. Unfortunately, the material was exhausted and we called up the shop owner again. This time, he got the material from another shop and brought it directly to the school. Again, we distributed it to teachers and some parents who easily made more than 3,000 masks," explains the headmaster.
When we asked them about the group that they distributed these masks, he says, "The idea behind stitching these masks was to give it to the families of police officials, conservancy workers, health workers and farmers. Till date we have given more than 3,500 masks in the past six days and few more thousands are in the process of stitching."
Apart from this, they prepare food and pack them at the school to distribute among the poor people who sleep on roads, ambulance drivers and police constables. "At least 300 food packets are supplied every day. The police men come to the school premises and pick these packets to give it to the poor. We avoid stepping out so that we can stop spreading of this pandemic,"he concludes.
