Using a hobby to do good
For Wong Mee Leng, Senior Nurse Manager at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH), her love for sewing gave her an opportunity to help others during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In February 2020, there was a surge in demand for disposable surgical masks due to the spiraling COVID-19 situation. Because a lot of the masks were out of stock, Sister Wong started sewing masks for children and adults, and distributing them for free.
"One day, a doctor told me that she was willing to pay $50 for 10 masks. That was when I got the idea to sell the masks and give the proceeds to charity,” shared Sister Wong.
From March to January 2021, Sister Wong estimates that she sewed more than 2,500 masks. Through the sales, she raised more than $6,000 and donated it to the KKH Health Fund (KKHHF). The KKHHF raises funds to help women and children patients who often have exhausted all other sources of financial aid and are in need of financial assistance for their medical needs.
When asked if she had any advice for others who are thinking of doing their bit for charity, Sister Wong said, “Just try raising funds through something you’re good at or enjoy doing, gather your support, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at what you can do for others!”
Subscribe to our mailing list to get the updates to your inbox