Heidi, our Canada volunteer helps to spread the love from Australia

Here's the story of "World Connected" - A story from Australia to Hong Kong, from Hong Kong to Canada, from Canada to USA. A story that reflects the extraordinary strength of Hongkongers’ solidarity around the world.

The skyrocketing prices for face masks during this COVID-19 pandemic have affected almost everyone, from the elderly and poor, to the middle class. In Hong Kong, the chemistry godfather Dr. K Kwong has shared best practices on how to develop homemade masks with the public. Hongkongers around the world then started making cloth masks when the pandemic began, as not many of us were lucky enough to be able to buy or even afford the expensive surgical masks. There are lots of volunteers doing the same as us by offering free cloth masks to people in need. We have received 2 mask requests from the USA and the delivery was only made possible with the assistance from other Hongkongers in Canada. The crisis has taught us the importance of citizens from all walks of life playing their part and helping out each other during the times when there is a shortage of face masks on the market. Today we are sharing the story from Heidi Ng, who is one of our valuable volunteers based in Canada:

The world become more chaotic. When Hong Kong had the first confirmed case, many people rushed into Canada. I sincerely hoped that people would have just stayed in their own country, so it would lower the chance of spreading COVID 19 from one country to another. Unfortunately, people from China used different routes to go to other countries and many people talked about flying to different countries to escape the pandemic. As a result, the care home in Vancouver had outbreaks. My neighbours mother works at a care home. She looked for ways to purchase surgical masks. There was no way to purchase them. Since I have a sewing machine at home and HK masks sewing tutorial is available on Youtube, I tried to make her some. As a typical Hong Kong girl, I posted them on my Facebook even though my masks were very ugly at that time. Then many of my friends asked me to sew for them. Through Dr Kwong’s page, I also joined a Facebook group called "Wearing is Caring". This group not only shares tips on how to make nicer HK masks, it also connects people who want to help others all over the world. There are two experiences I would like to share:

(1) One day, a lady who lives in Australia sought help from HK Masks Australia. She wanted HK Masks Australia to send some masks to her mother. The mother lives in Virginia, U.S.A. To reduce the cost, HK Masks Australia contacted

Masks4Canada

. Then Masks4Canada asked me if I know anyone who could help out in the US. Through instant networking, I was able to find people to send off some masks to the mother.

(2) With the successful networking, HK Masks Australia contacted me again at the end of August to send HK masks to a family in Idaho, U.S.A. The grandmother of this family was diagnosed with cancer and was about to receive Chemotherapy. Although I know so many people in Idaho, I somehow feel like it was my turn to sew for people who live aboard. I was able to sew for people whom I do not know. There are many selfish people in the world. The world sometimes can be very chaotic. At the same time, there are many people who want to make a difference.

I believe people who work hard and sew HK masks are the people who want to create a miracle every day. Even though the market is filled with surgical masks now, keep on sewing. I believe together we can make a better world.