The first batch of 420 face masks has already been sent from Mszana to the Racibórz Hospital. – The face masks are sewn by the employees of our Center. These are five people who have gone through a training delivered by a qualified tailor, using professional equipment – says Rafał Jabłoński, Director of the Municipal Center for Culture and Leisure Activities in Mszana. – The machines are working at full capacity to support the medical staff taking care of the ill.

The JSW Foundation has donated PLN 18 thousand to support the purchase of sewing machines by the Municipal Center for Culture and Leisure Activities in Mszana. Soon after the outbreak of the coronavirus epidemic, the Tailor Workshop in the Center was approached by the Racibórz Hospital. This is the main recipient of the face masks sewn in Gogołowa (Mszana Municipality), although they will be also used in other care facilities in the Racibórz County. The Wodzisław County has approached the Center with a similar request. The Center managers assure that there is enough material to make at least several hundred protective face masks more.

This week, the Rural Women's Association in Czyżowice will receive JSW Foundation’s donation to support another face mask sewing initiative. The donation is for PLN 12 thousand, which the Association will earmark for the purchase of sewing machines, fabrics and other materials required to make the face masks. – So far we have already made 3.5 thousand face masks using our own materials and relying on the funding received from sponsors, but our financial resources have been used up, and the needs are still great – says Magdalena Sieńko from the Rural Women's Association in Czyżowice. – There are enough hands willing to work but there is also a lot of demand for the face masks.

The masks will be successively handed over to the Silesian Voivode and public institutions which express such a need. Also scouts intend to help in a similar way. JSW supported them with PLN 3 thousand to cover the costs of a project under the name “Scouts’ Neighborhood Service”. The initiative aims to help people who are particularly exposed to coronavirus infection, and the scouts’ efforts will include doing shopping and medicines for the elderly and sewing protective face masks. – Granting the funding, we had no doubt that we should support such a project, aimed at protecting the health and improving the safety during this difficult time – says Artur Dyczko, president of the JSW Foundation and Vice-President of the JSW Management Board for Technical and Operational Matters.