Every so often, we come across a story so inspiring that it makes us rethink our own lives. We’ve seen people with extraordinary talents, people beating the odds against diseases, and people who have carried out an incredible act of kindness towards another person.

Our latest story covers the unbelievable dedication and skill from one young woman, Norfarrah Syahirah Shaari, who decided to sew face masks for healthcare workers in her home country, Malaysia – despite being born with no arms.

Norfarrah has had to learn to use her feet to do everything that we would use our hands and arms for. She has developed an incredible skill in carrying out her everyday chores with her feet, which the majority of us would fail to master.

After finding out that healthcare workers on the frontlines of the pandemic were low on personal protective equipment, Norfarrah decided that she wanted to help. Her plan was to sew face masks and gowns to keep them safe – with her feet!

For the average person, putting a needle anywhere near your foot would be a cause for disaster. For Norfarrah, needlework with her feet is something she excels at.

Speaking to Upworthy about her community project, which involves another 25 individuals, she explained:

“Each volunteer has a different role. Someone will measure and cut the fabric, another will draw the polar, and someone else will sew the PPE. I can sew eight PPE gowns a day.”

Amazingly, Norfarrah is competent in using a sewing machine with her feet, and can hold onto the material with her toes, feeding it through as carefully as a person could do with their hands.

She shared a video of exactly how she sews her garments on Facebook, demonstrating her ability to smooth and fold the material and hold it in place with her toes.

She has the sewing machine placed on the floor, and sits next to it with her legs extended and her knees slightly bent.

Her feet and toes are so nimble that you would be mistaken into believing she is using her hands.

She manages to nail the most intricate of details on the garment. Using a sewing machine is no easy job as it is, but Norfarrah handles it like a pro. She can even use scissors with her feet.

The work that Norfarrah and her team are doing is proving incredibly helpful in her country. The CDC has recommended that everyone wear a cloth covering over their face, and produced a page instructing on several ways to make your own face mask.

For health care workers, face masks are even more important. They offer the best protection against catching COVID-19 through droplets in the air. As masks are only intended to be disposable, hospitals around the world are struggling to keep up with demand right now.

Of course, Norfarrah’s incredible skill and dedication has caught the eye of news outlets around the world, but this talented young woman is helping out because she truly wants to, and not for the media attention.

She said:

“I feel proud to be part of this program, and this is the little thing we can do to help our healthcare workers.”

Norfarrah’s story is proof that giving in is never the answer, and with the right level of perseverance, we can achieve even the most difficult things in life.

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Source: Inspiremore, Upworthy, Facebook, CDC