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It was the heart of the lockdown, an experience we've never had before, the whole world was at a standstill due to the outbreak of the coronavirus, I never knew there would ever be an outbreak so strong to keep everyone indoors not just for weeks but months.

Living in a country like mine where people hardly adhere to the law but somehow the fear of contracting the virus was enough to make the most percentage of the population obey the lockdown rule, the first few weeks were taken seriously and it was fascinating to see how serious everyone was, as we mostly meet on the online space, looking out for updates, checking on family members also uploading funny memes to lighten the mood but as weeks grew into months we began to run out of foodstuffs and even if you had money, there was no way we could visit the market, as they were all closed and the popular stores had high demands.

It was at that moment a lot of us started becoming aware of other opportunities we could make from the online world as just not a place for entertainment but also a place of transaction and earning. People started getting creative, using social media to buy and sell their goods and offer services,

It was amazing to see how quickly people adapted to the new reality.
Mama Nkechi who owned a foodstuff store at the entrance of the community created a WhatsApp group and managed to get the contacts of her customers which included me

you've been added to NK store

I saw a notification pop up, all we had to do was place an order and her delivery boy would be at our doorstep, observing all the health guidelines, it helped solve the low supply of foodstuff at home as other store owners soon followed suit.

But we still needed money to buy food and there I was jobless without a store, my workplace had laid off some staff with a promise to call us back when the lockdown came to an end, but I couldn't wait for that long, the end was not even in sight yet, rather some days in the week were allowed for people to go out as long as they followed strict guidelines like washing of hands regularly, the use of facemask and hand sanitizers, etc which all became high in demands.

Face masks became so high in demand that they became expensive and scarce, and then the government approved the use of cotton fabric face masks, which were affordable and reusable compared to disposable ones.

At first, the curiosity to make fabric face masks was borne out of boredom and necessity for me and my family, this day, I pulled out my Android device, clicked on Youtube app, and for the first time, I was searching for sewing/DIY tips,

How to make a fabric face mask I typed on the search bar

Feeling more encouraged by the few videos I saw, I hand-sewed the first face mask I made slowly and carefully following the patterns, and it came out perfect.

From that very first hand sewed face mask, I made more for close friends, family, and neighbors as I already dusted and started using my mum's old sewing machine, I had also created my WhatsApp group and made my presence known on other online platforms. The breakpoint was when I received an order online to make 500 face masks for a school as the lockdown relaxed a bit for schools to resume, it was the first to many more huge orders.

What started as a way to kill boredom became a means to an end, sustaining me through the lockdown period and even after. Now I am a fashion designer who designs beautiful dresses, not face masks anymore, no one knew this passion for sewing started from learning how to make facemasks.

As I look back, I realize that the lockdown was a turning point for me. It forced me to think outside the box, to be resourceful, and tap into the potential of the online world also to build a talent I never knew I had. I'm grateful for the experience, even though it was born out of a pandemic. It taught me that with determination and creativity, I can overcome any obstacle and find opportunities in the most unlikely of places.

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