This collaborative photoshoot celebrates the contribution of front-liners in Malaysia who played a pivotal part in combatting the COVID-19 pandemic. We are humbled, thank you. - Thasselz Collection & Ethnic Bazaar with TBR Brides and Levendren Rao Photography.
Elvina Fernandez - Former Journalist, Writer, Social Specialist, Corporate Comms Expert, Content Creator, Jewellery Designer, Sustainable Lifestyle Ambassador
Your motto in life?
Be The Change You Wish To See! Don't wait for someone to act and change a situation for the better, instead, you be that change the world needs. This will instantly make your family, school, college, university, community, workplace, town, city, state, country, and the world at large a happier, safer, and more peaceful environment.
What was your involvement in the current pandemic - Frontliner? Role? Where were you attached to?:
Just a normal citizen wanting to help! I always believe that you don't need to be somebody in society or social media to step up and do something, you are enough and can move mountains. So when I saw a video of our frontliners from a local hospital using plastic garbage bags as PPE gears, wrapping themselves up before they start duty to test and treat Covid19 patients, I was horrified and wanted to do something. I thought to myself, how can we let our warriors fight on the battlefield without proper gears. They needed proper PPEs (Personal Protective Equipment) such as faceshields, gloves, aprons, isolation gowns, shoe cover, head cover, mask, and more. This country has given so much to me and my family, I'm a Malaysian, I needed to do something. So I made a split-second decision to either work from home and re-share posts on social media or to actually be a part of the solution to the problem during these challenging times.
I then joined a nationwide volunteer group on Facebook with individuals and groups sending hospitals and health clinics faceshields. But all shops were closed during the MCO, how am I to get supplies to DIY these faceshields? So I posted a note in the group asking if anyone had supplies to create faceshields and the response was amazing. Strangers contacted me and dropped off A4 size plastic sheets and elastic bands at my doorstep. I bought sponges, double-sided tape, staples, and started creating faceshields for a government hospital near my home. A doctor from a clinic near home saw what I was doing and offered her nurses to help so I could keep up to the needs that were increasing every day. I started with Putrajaya hospital, and later when my effort to help was shared around, I expanded to helping hospitals and health clinics from all over the country including in Cheras, Salak Tinggi, Seremban, Rantau, Sungai Buluh, Sikamat, Lembah Pantai, Kulai, Bangi, Klia, and the screening center at the Higher Education Leadership Academy (AKEPT).
Once I found out where to get the supplies, I started contacting the suppliers myself and they delivered the materials directly to my doorstep. Also, since the situation has called for a home and car loan payment deferment for up to 6 months, I began by to using that money from my salary to buy gloves, apron, shoe cover, head cover, sponge, A4 plastic sheets, elastic bands online, to send the necessary to any frontliners who reach out to me. I also posted my effort on Facebook and many friends and family, and even strangers offered help to purchase the items.
While I can order gloves and aprons online or DIY the face shields and send them to the hospitals in need, to stitch the blue gowns, boots cover, and head cover for healthcare workers, I needed the health ministry approved materials which cannot be bought by just anyone. I sent out another plea on Facebook and Malaysian designer Melinda Hooi messaged me after someone sent her my post. She gathered other designers Khoon Hooi, Kit Woo, Alia Bastaman, Vivy Yusof, Neolofa, and many more and with their collective strength got factories to open and send supplies.
From using Grab delivery to send PPE to our frontliners that is expensive, through Melinda's connection, we got the attention of Pos Malaysia and they helped us send the materials to home tailors for free and are also helped deliver the finished isolation gowns to the hospitals in need, no charge for transportation at all!
Since I started when MCO was enforced in Malaysia, I’ve managed to coordinate and distribute over 30,000 personal protective equipment to healthcare workers from all over the country. This experience has taught me that if you have the right intention to help, then all the support you need will come pouring in from unexpected places. One person can make a difference, we all have the opportunity to help someone today.
Your most challenging assignment:
I wouldn't say any of it was challenging but there was a point where I was worried if the police roadblock would not allow us to reach the nearest hospital - Putrajaya hospital that I was looking after. However, they were kind. But later, as cases kept increasing, the doctors would drive to my place to pick the PPEs up. I also got grab delivery to deliver to the red zones. Probably to not become emotional about the situation people were going through was a little of a challenge. But the desire to constantly make sure that the help they needed reached them on time made sure I didn't look at it as too much of a challenge. Instead, the demand and pushed me to keep going and do more.
The one lesson this pandemic has taught you:
The one lesson this pandemic has taught you:
I guess the main lesson is that life is really short and unpredictable so cherish your loved ones. We should also always remember our roots and go back to basics. Imagine that one day our food supply gets cut off, if you have your own edible garden, you'll be able to have food to eat. One good example is bread, there was no bread anywhere and I got a breadmaker online to make my own bread. I now also make my own pickles with homegrown chilies. I made chapati, idli, and thosai, which I had only bought from restaurants before the pandemic. The best thing of all was the opportunity to cook healthy and wholesome home-cooked meals daily while I got to WFH during the lockdown as compared to ordering meals on Grabfood or Foodpanda for dinner while traveling from work to home so it arrives when I reach home.
Any other thoughts you wish to share with people at large - can be personal or related to the pandemic:
I believe, what we must remember is that our help is needed beyond the pandemic. During the pandemic our frontliners needed help with PPEs, our immigration detention centers packed, many lost their jobs, families struggling to feed their kids, animal shelters not having enough to sustain. And they will all continue to need our help after the pandemic until they regain their strength. The world needs us to rise to the occasion. If we are fortunate to help now, it is only human to do so. Which is how I moved on to help immigrants and the underprivileged in our community with food, clothing, baby diapers, sanitary pads, bath soap, toothpaste, and other basic necessities for their daily needs. Rest assured that if any of you need such help, whoever you are, you can contact me.
What I hope to do? I want to help more people realise the importance of going green, planting their own food, repurposing more. My plan is to go down to schools and carry out free classes on life skills, help single mothers, widows and underprivileged kids identify their passion and learn the basics of online business to improve their lives and be an instrument of change to those around them.
In the long term, I also want to see the world sustain itself to prepare for a future pandemic. It happened now and it may happen again, thus I want to teach the younger generation, our students in schools or colleges how to make DIY faceshields and to stitch isolation gowns, so that when it strikes again, every community can support the hospitals closest to them and help keep our first line of defense strong to tackle the disease/virus more well prepared and lose less lives.
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