A total 2,500 meters of elastic, 500 meters of fabric and 140 spools of thread are being delivered by eCabs to 130 volunteers around Malta.

These volunteers have recently responded to a call by humanitarian organisation MOAS (Migrant Offshore Aid Station) and the Agency for the Welfare of Asylum Seekers (AWAS), to produce 6,500 face masks for refugees and asylum seekers in Malta, to aid these vulnerable communities amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 
 
MOAS, which is also providing all the material needed, has found the support of eCabs in handling the logistical aspect of the project.

A total of 260 trips covers the delivery of all the needed material to the volunteers who will sew the masks, as well as the collection and redistribution of the freshly made masks back to MOAS and AWAS.

All masks are destined for the asylum seekers and refugees currently residing in the centres, in an attempt to slow the spread of the virus and protect the beneficiaries and wider community. 

MOAS head of fundraising and project management thanked eCabs for stepping in without hesitation.

“We are incredibly grateful for this service as it will make a huge difference to the project. People have been so kind in donating their time and efforts, so to be able to get them the items quickly and reward their generosity is really amazing,” she said.
 
She added that although homemade masks were not an alternative to medical-grade PPE, they have been shown to slow spread in high-density residential communities. 

Following the call, over 130 people offered to volunteer, committing to produce at least 50 masks each over the coming weeks.

eCabs CEO Matthew Bezzina said teamwork, empathy and community spirit should prevail in times like these. He said it was only natural for eCabs to pitch in to this project and contribute to its eventual success, in the same way that it was contributing to other community support causes.