A social enterprise team produces face shields in 5 days

By Tania Jayatilaka | MALAYSIA |

What we’ve witnessed in the past 2 weeks under the Movement Control Order has been a remarkable display of generosity from Malaysians everywhere.

Some kicked off crowdfunding campaigns and some delivered meals to the homeless. Others literally took matters into their own hands – like the community of makers at the Me.reka educational centre in Publika.

The educational centre-cum-makerspace is part of Biji-Biji Initiative, which champions sustainability in the most practical way possible: by empowering people with the skills to design, build and up-cycle.

In recent weeks, this youth-driven social enterprise has demonstrated just how crucial these skills are today in light of the Covid-19 crisis.

After speaking with hospital directors and healthcare professionals from Damansara Specialist Centre, Universiti Malaya Medical Centre and Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz UKM, the Biji-Biji and Me.reka teams identified a shortage of protective face shields at the front-lines, among other things.

Immediately, the community of makers got to work. Social media channels, Me.reka’s website and partner networks were engaged to announce a call for donations and volunteers to help with the supply, logistics and production of urgently needed medical equipment.

The goal was to produce protective face shields that were both durable and reusable, complete with their replaceable parts.

It seemed an impossible task. Yet, the team had organised multiple production sites in less than a week.

Read the full story, ‘Biji-Biji Initiative Produced Handmade Face Shields Within 5 Days: Here’s How’ (Asia Tatler), here.