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SEREMBAN, Negeri Sembilan: For a nine-year-old Malaysian schoolgirl, the new coronavirus was difficult to understand. But Nur Afia Qistina Zamzuri knew one thing for sure: it was dangerous.
So when he heard that a local hospital was looking for people to sew protective gear, he immediately offered.
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“I felt bad, so I told my mother I wanted to help,” Nur Afia told Reuters at her home in Kuala Pilah, a city in Negeri Sembilan state, southwest Malaysia.
Nur Afia, who learned to sew at the age of five, can make four full gowns of personal protective equipment (PPE) a day, parking on a sewing machine between playtime and attending online classes while schools They are closed amid a nationwide shutdown.
READ: Malaysia’s movement control order will extend further until June 9, says Prime Minister Muhyiddin
Malaysia, which had the highest number of coronavirus cases in Southeast Asia until mid-April, has reported more than 6,600 infections and more than 100 deaths. The country imposed movement brakes to stop the virus outbreak on March 18, although some restrictions were relaxed earlier this month.
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Since the beginning of March Nur Afia has made 130 dresses for two nearby hospitals.
Sixty more pieces are on the way, although this month has been more challenging as Nur Afia, whose family is Muslim, observes the fasting month of Ramadan.
Still, the fast has not stopped her, and she often begins sewing after the meal before sunrise.
READ: Artists turn to online platforms to appeal to their audience as Malaysia’s COVID-19 brakes keep people at home
Nur Afia became interested in sewing after seeing her mother Hasnah Hud, a tailor, making clothes in her family business.
As Nur Afia’s skills improved, she began earning her own money by collecting pillowcases and fixing torn clothes for the family’s neighbors and family members.
Hasnah said her daughter was more motivated after seeing photos of medical workers wearing the gowns she had made.
“She said, ‘Mom, I don’t think I have a school job, so I want to sew more,'” Hasnah said.
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