People with disability produce masks to protect COVID-19

Beira, MOZAMBIQUE - " It was increasingly difficult to support my children, so I decided to take a course in cutting and sewing, and I hope that one day I can have my own business and improve the living conditions of my family," said Bernardo João, 57, a widower and father of seven children.

Last year, Bernardo and 47 men and women with disabilities benefited from sewing kits and training in the production of masks to protect against COVID-19 using local material. This support resulted from a partnership between Light for the World and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), with the aim of creating financial livelihood mechanisms for people with disabilities in this time when many families lost their livelihoods as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic created a good opportunity for Bernardo as the demand for protective masks boosted his business. Bernardo will now be able to finish the construction of his house, which had been interrupted by cyclone Eloise, "I was buying the material to finish my house when the storm came, and now I need to start over," said Bernardo João.