On one Sunday afternoon, I was on a call with my friends discussing about the lockdown and cribbing about not being able to go out to our favorite restaurants. It was after the call that I reflected upon the luxury we enjoy of sitting in our home, when our police officers, medical workers & sanitation workers shoulder the entire country during the COVID-19 pandemic. This motivated me and my team to put our education into practice. 

I, along with two of my high school friends started an initiative for printing & distributing 3D Printed Face shields to police officers, medical staff & sanitation workers in Delhi, India. They continue to risk their lives for us, acting as true warriors in this pandemic. Through our little effort, we were able to contribute towards protecting the lives of the COVID-19 front line warriors in India. We realised that the contribution to society and community development can lead to a path of becoming a changemaker.

 

For this initiative, I, along with my team deployed multiple channels of effective communication for fund-raising which included a website (https://covid19faceshields.squarespace.com/) and social media to raise funds for this noble cause. We were able to raise close to Rs. 50,000 for this initiative, which were utilized in 3D printing of 1100+ face shields. In our efforts for distribution, we were able to distribute all 3D Printed face shields to police officers, medical workers and sanitation workers. We printed the face shields according to the standards set by World Health Organization (WHO) and they were made using transparent OHP sheets which were then attached on a head mount to minimize direct exposure to droplets, keeping them protected from the risk of transmission.

 

We were also able to attract support from local government bodies in which both Police Department of Delhi as well as the Municipal Corporation of Delhi supported us in our endeavor to do social good. Along with this, we were able to make mass donations in COVID-19 Hospitals in Delhi, which were facing a lack of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Our efforts were also covered by local media and national dailies. Through this story, we would like to encourage other students to take initiatives and giving back to the society.