Meet Naseer, the unsung corona warrior
Summer is peaking in Delhi and residents prefer to stay at home to beat the heat. But in a lane is Shaheen Bagh, a 52-year-old man wearing a glass is sitting in the corner of a street with handmade masks hanging around. Naseer is busy sewing masks whose demand in the last few months has decreased with cases decreasing and government lifting many curbs.
A tailor by profession, Naseer told the OT that he started sewing handmade masks after second Covid wave. It was the day when life had come to a standstill and earning had dipped. Naseer who used to do alteration job said he quickly switched over and started making handmade masks for local residents. Many residents started turning up at his shop in Shaheen Bagh to purchase handmade masks.
“For the last two years or so I have been just concentrating on making masks. They have been huge demand. My masks have gone to US and other foreign countries. A resident, who resides in USA, bought more than 50 masks from me and took to his country for his relatives,” he said.
Naseer sells masks for Rs 20 and 30 each. When asked, how many masks he has stitched till now, he said everyday he has been stitching 20 masks. Though he has no idea about the number but if it is multiplied by the whole year then according to rough estimate, Naseer must have stitched more than 10,000 masks till now.
He said through selling mask he was able to sustain his family at times of hardship. There are many like him in Delhi, whose stories of hardship and contribution during the Covid days, could not grab headlines.
In Okhla, Naseer is not the only one. There are many like him who played their role during the pandemic by helping others.
Note: If you also played positive role during Covid and are an unsung hero, you can also share your story with us at iamlocal2020@gmail.com
