Kingston woman makes homemade masks for friends, family and strangers

Hand-sewn generosity in Kingston, Ont. A Kingston woman has sewn hundreds of masks by hand for those who need them. As CTV’s Kimberley Johnson reports, she’s not slowing down.

KINGSTON — The sounds of the sewing machine are a familiar one in the Adelpur household in Kingston these days.

That is because Mahwash Adelpur has been busy making homemade masks for friends, family and even complete strangers.

"In March you couldn’t find any masks," Adelpur explains of why she started making masks during the COVID-19 pandemic. "So I was thinking if I can help some people or make some masks for nurses or seniors homes."

Adelpur certainly got to work.

Since the beginning of April, she has churned out approximately 400 masks. Spending hours every day, and every night.

Adelpur wants people to feel safe during COVID-19, so she has now set a goal of making 1,000 masks.

"I started making 30...50 then I was excited to make more and more," says Adelpur. "So I would stay until 11, 12 at night. I was just so excited to make it."

Her daughter Furohaar Furoghudin often along for the ride.

"She’s so into it, whereas my sister and I who’s 14 we’ll sit there cutting pieces will go 'how many more hours mom?'" Furoghudin explains. "So for her it’s just been such a passion that she doesn’t realize how much time she’s putting into it."

Its part of the #UnitedWeSew campaign, put on by the Ismaili Civic.

Happening in cities across the country, the group set out a goal of making 10,000 masks in places like Ottawa and Montreal.

A number they have already surpassed.

"The ethics of giving ones time and knowlege to help others is a central and long standing tradition in Islam," says Naseen Murji of the Ismaili Civic mission to create the masks.

Murji says that is because of people like Adelpur’s dedication.

In Kingston alone, hundreds of masks like hers have gone to places like the Kingston Youth Shelter, and the Cancer Centre of Southeastern Ontario, which is located in the Kingston Health Sciences Centre.

With Adelpur and three other women in Kingston making masks, more will be ready to go out in the coming weeks.

"It’s amazing, she’s done all this (on) her own, out of loving, caring (volunteering)," explains Murji. "She just wants to make more and more and make sure everyone has their own masks, with no return, with no conditions."

Adelpur’s son, Wamiq Furoghudin, says it has been inspiring to see.

"It really just shows you what one individual can start doing to help a community," he says. "This is just one person just sitting at home during quarantine."

While Adelpur’s happy to keep sewing, she’s waiting for the day she no longer has to.

"I hope the virus is stopped, so I don’t have to make more."