[France24] A bearded Orthodox priest carefully assembles a plastic visor as he works with a group of volunteers to provide Ukrainian medics with much-needed personal protective equipment.The group is working in a shed in the grounds of Kiev's green and blue-domed Vydubychi monastery, which was founded in the 11th century.
Their mission is a vital one: to protect medics in the fight with the novel coronavirus.
In the small makeshift workshop, Father Mykolai, still wearing a black cassock and a large gold cross on a chain, fixes straps to a visor using an electric screwdriver.
The coronavirus "is testing our ability to cooperate around the world, to help one another," says the 46-year-old priest, raising his voice against the sound of a cutting machine.
The project manager, 30-year-old Roman Kholodov, tries on one of the face shields over his bushy beard.
"You can adjust the height and width. And most importantly, they are light," he says enthusiastically.
With his trendy hairstyle and plaid shirt, Kholodov has a hipsterish air. He is not a priest himself but heads the social services department of the newly created independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
He and the group of volunteers at the picturesque monastery started out by making high-alcohol hand-sanitiser that they bottled and gave out to parishioners and doctors.
After making 20,000 bottles and running out of ingredients, the small team bought a laser cutting machine to produce the plastic face shields that doctors wear over facemasks as an additional layer of protection.
- INFECTED MEDICS -
Their small workshop has already made around 50 face shields and they have delivered some to a Kiev hospital.
"The doctors were so happy!" Kholodov said with a smile.