Sharing the ‘gift’ to her community in times of a pandemic

Her sewing machine is a ‘gift’ to her. Today, she is using this gift to help.

When the enhanced community quarantine was declared and implemented across Luzon due to the Covid-19 pandemic, 50-year-old Nida Guarda, a resident of Brgy. Ampid I in San Mateo, Rizal Province, chose to use her time and her skill into good use.

“Naisipan kong magtahi ng face masks hindi upang pagkakitaan kundi para ipamigay nang libre sa aking mga kababayan para maiwasan ang pagkalat ng sakit,” shared Nida.

For her, her drive to help her community roots from her gratitude to the government for assisting her family for several years now.

Showing her gratitude

Nida’s family is a beneficiary of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program since 2012.

As a beneficiary of the program, they receive conditional cash grants in support for the education and health needs of her children in exchange for their compliance to the conditions of the program including 85 percent monthly attendance of children to school and monthly preventive health checkup of children.

“Dahil sa programang ito, natustusan ang pag-aaral ng lima kong anak. Nakapag-ipon rin ako upang makapagpundar ng isang makina sa pananahi,” shared Nida.

The purchase of a sewing machine has been a big help for the family, especially that her husband is an on-call construction worker who has no regular income. With the sewing machine, Nida was able to help with the finances at home.

“Kaya ngayon, ang paggawa ko ng face masks gamit ang makinang ito ay isang paraan ko para maipakita ang aking pasasalamat sa gobyerno sa pagtulong sa aming pamilya sa loob ng higit walong taon,” she shared.

Face masks to fight the pandemic

Nida understands the importance of working together to fight the spread of the virus and ensure the health of everyone.

“Simpleng mamamayan ako pero nagpapasalamat ako sa lahat ng frontliners na itinataya ang buhay upang maging ligtas ang bawat pamilya,” she said.

Nida is grateful that in her own ways, she can be of help, too.

She has already endorsed more than 300 pieces of face masks to their barangay for distribution to the residents. Since she is following the quarantine rules of the barangay, she has entrusted the distribution of these masks to their officials.

With these face masks, Nida takes pride of her contribution to the community. Her sewing machine’s ‘gift’ has extended from being a blessing to her family to being a blessing to their whole community.***