When one gets a day off after a busy 15-hour long shift, usually, a person tries to relax and avoids doing any other work. However, in Hyderabad, on her off days, constable B Amareshwari stitches cloth masks and distributes them for free to help people to fight COVID-19. Amareshwari serves as a Personal Security Officer (PSO) to the Telangana Governor Tamilisai Sounderarajan every alternate day.
Starting her day at 3:30 am on her working days, Amareshwari gets ready, cooks food, packs her lunch box and leaves from her home in Kattedhan by 5:30 am to reach the Governor’s residence in the city by 6 am. Once she returns from duty, at 9:30 pm, she starts stitching masks for an hour or two before she calls it a day.
Even amidst such hectic schedule, where she also looks after her family, comprising her father, mother and grandmother, she manages to find time to stitch masks. TNM catches up with her over the phone.
When did you start stitching masks?
I started stitching them one week after COVID-19 cases were reported in the state, as I have started hearing that there has been a shortage of masks everywhere for the common public, and so they have become costly too. Actually, I don't know how to tailor well, even now, I know only how to stitch masks, because I decided to learn it so that I could do something for the society in such times.
When do you get time to stitch?
I work every alternate day, so I stitch on my days off. I stitch masks after duty every day too. So far, I have stitched close to 3,000 masks with the help of my mother, who helps me by cutting the cloth for the mask.
On my off days, I usually finish all the household chores within two hours in the morning, and then I start stitching and then it goes on for hours.
How do you distribute the masks?
I distribute whenever I get the time. I have been going to each and every household in the neighbourhood and asking for the number of people at home. Then, I give three cloth masks per head so that they can have spare ones and wash and reuse the other.
I initially gave the masks to our neighbours, and they felt very happy after receiving it, as they did not have any. It gave me immense satisfaction, and so now even on duty, if someone does not have a mask, I hand out three masks to them.
How do you source material for masks?
One of my friends who has a clothing business at home. I bought bundles of cotton lining from her and used that to stitch the masks.
What is your motivation to do this?
Every day, our Governor Tamilisai Sounderarajan distributes food to the needy, which made me think that I should also do something from my side. DGP Mahender Reddy sir also keeps encouraging us in his speeches to do social service for the society, whenever possible. These two people are my driving forces to stitch masks and make the small contribution.
Actually, even those in my friend circle did not know about this mask distribution, but suddenly, people spotted me distributing and took my pictures, and since then I am getting calls (she concludes with a laugh.)