Morung Express News
Kohima | May 23
For over a month, Lovi S Chikhe, a sixth Semester student of Fashion Technology Department under Government Polytechnic Kohima has been staying back in her hostel to help stitch masks. The Government Polytechnic Kohima is currently undertaking a full time mission in manufacturing masks and PPE suits, under the initiative of Temjen Imna Along, Minister Higher & Technical Education and Tribal Affairs.
Purely a voluntary service, Chikhe along with four other students chose to stay back at their hostel to join the undertaking in their bit to give back to society in challenging times. The girls are usually fixed on their machines from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm daily. “This is a good opportunity for us to help our people,” says Chikhe who hails from Meluri, as she adds that her family at Meluri is proud of her for choosing to stay back at her Institute.
For Kaliho V Kiho, a 4th Semester student, Fashion Technology Department, joining the initiative has been a good experience and a privilege. “If I chose to stay home, I would have been jobless. This has given me more experience,” says Kiho.
“Despite the exhaustion, we are happy because in some small way we are helping the society. If I stayed home, the productivity would have been lesser. The machineries here has more speed, and helps us finish our work faster than the machines we use at home,” says Kenyhule Tep, a fourth Semester student.
After stitching and sewing the products, the students usually return to their hostel by 5:00 pm or 6:00 pm. However, their work is far from over. Once they return to their hostel, the girls usually spend the night cutting the materials for the next day's work. “After going back to the hostel we do the cutting. We usually work till 10.30 or sometimes later than that. Our parents are worried but at the same time, they are also happy that we are helping contribute something for the society,” says Kenyhule Tep.
Apart from the students at the GPK hostel, students based in Kohima as well as passed out students are involved in the manufacturing, where most of them are working at home.
“All the students based in Kohima are contributing. More than fifty people are involved. We deliver the fabrics to their own home, and after some few days we go and collect the finished products. Many students outside Kohima wanted to help out but because of the transportation restrictions they were not able to come,” says A. Chubamenla, Senior Lecturer, Fashion Technology Department.
