By: Godfreyna Canja
The pandemic has affected many countries across the world and most countries have put their citizens in a strict quarantine to curb the increase of people getting the virus.
With people being more cautious, the rise of the demand for items such as facemasks and hand sanitizers has resulted to low supplies in the market. These items have become such a prized and necessary commodity in these times but low supplies of facemasks that healthcare workers who need them more than ever are highly affected by this shortage.
This shortage of facemasks put people who work in the frontlines at risk, and what many do not realize, garbage collectors who still work tirelessly during this pandemic are put highly at risk of the virus.
The Foundation for the Blind in Bangkok, Thailand has recognized this problem and worked to find a solution. As a part of the #SEAtizens series, this story from Thailand will feature the thoughtful and compassionate members of the Foundation.
Photo from Foundation for the Blind
The Foundation for the Blind is a charitable organization that helps visually impaired people by teaching them skills and abilities that would help them live a good life in society. It is the first foundation that was made for the disabled in Thailand and was established way back in 1939.
“Society helps us. We help society.” is the project’s motto and the foundation believes this is their way of giving back to the society that helped them. Over 600 cloth facemasks were knitted and donated by the visually impaired members of the foundation, and they will continue to make more cloth facemasks too help more garbage collectors.
Photo from The Smart Local Thailand
Photo from Foundation for the Blind
According to an interview by The Smart Local Thailand with the foundation’s chairman, they are hoping that these unsung heroes can properly do their jobs while being protected from the virus.
In another interview by The Smart Local, one of the members in the project said, “It is a great pleasure to help the society as we have always received good things from them.”
In a time like this where we are gripped by uncertainty, hopelessness and even fear, it is always uplifting to hear stories about people who are helping one another without second thoughts.
SEA Wave magazine’s SEAtizens initiative is a series of inspiring stories of people in Southeast Asia who champion the human spirit by demonstrating courage, ingenuity, generosity, and selflessness amidst the current crisis.