Fighting Covid-19: The ‘mask’ man has a mission to reach out to those in need
Srinagar: Having supplied nearly 70 thousand masks, 5k PPE suits and 20k surgical gowns to various health institutions and quarantine centres during the past five weeks, the man behind the move feels that more needs to be done in the fight against the deadly coronavirus.
Malik Asif ul Noor, an engineering graduate and founder member of ‘we volunteers’ a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) has been on the forefront along with his dedicated team since the Covid-19 pandemic made its presence felt in Kashmir.
“We are in social service sector since the past ten years and this time our challenges are far greater that we can comprehend. The coronavirus pandemic has thrown many challenges for us as we are lacking various facilities here,” he said.
Though ‘we volunteers’ has been helping the needy, the group came forward to provide some respite for those who could not lay their hands on masks, protection gears and gowns due to the surge in demand after the covid-19 pandemic.
“Our team got together after the lockdown was announced and our dedicated workers started manufacturing the masks and suits with guidance from various quarters. We managed to provide these to those in need in a record time and Alhamdulillah we plan to proceed with the demands as and when we get them,” says Asif, who has also stepped in to provide free medicines to those suffering from chronic ailments.
“Many of my friends are calling me ‘mask man’ as I have pledged to provide masks to the people irrespective of their class, affiliations and beliefs,” he says.
“We have been organizing free medical camps since the past many years and during this we have managed to de-worm thousands of kids besides helping those who are in regular need of getting medicines for their chronic ailments,” he said, adding that “since we have a database of all such patients we took the initiative of providing free medicines to 900 patients during the past five weeks who are suffering from chronic ailments like diabetes, hypertension and other ailments”.
Asif who claims to spend nine hours a day in social service says that his efforts are being recognized on ground and many people are coming forward and helping them to serve the people by offering support and logistics.
“The past three years have been tremendous with lot of people expressing their trust in us and providing us with donations so that we could continue with the good work,” he says.
“There are people, and they are in good numbers who do not want their names to be highlighted or made known. It is help from such quarters that we manage to offer a helping hand to those who are in need,” he adds.
“Since the lockdown has meant that lots of people have either lost their jobs or will be facing difficulty in getting one, we had plans of even ensuring supply of rations to the poor and the downtrodden,” says Asif.
“Though we have made a beginning here as well as we are supplying rations to around 100 families on regular basis since the past two weeks now. Earlier we have managed distribution of rations among the needy on a large scale but this time round our limited resources have compelled us to stick to a much smaller number so that we could ensure they get it continuously,” he adds.
Asked what makes him to strive for others that too in these testing times, Asif says that being a Muslim he believes that we all have to leave this world and face accountability for our deeds.
“By trying to address to the needs of those who are a deprived lot, we can create a much better world where people care for each other and spend out of their resources to ease others worries and troubles. We have to leave something for our progeny as well and by resorting to such acts we can feel satisfied that our contribution has made the world a better place to live in,” adds Asif.
KV News
