My mother, her ‘Singer’ machine and Agence France Presse

In the beginning, the story started as an anecdote. At the end of March, Tunisia was locked down and there was a terrible lack of bibs. At that time, I had started working on a column titled “Solidarity initiatives”, which revealed the bright side of lockdown. When taxi-drivers, restaurant owners, hoteliers and many other workers and trades have privileged the human aspect in their work and approach, offering meals for caregivers, transporting workers free of charge or accommodating medical professionals. My 78-year-old mother reads and follows my posts and articles. She decides: I also want to make myself useful.

On April 9, 2020, I posted a very small text on Facebook:

"This time, the solidarity initiative comes from my mother, Nozha Belhassine. Nozha is a very busy woman these days. Her room transformend into a workshop, harnessed to her Singer sewing machine dating from the 1940s, she makes recyclable masks for family, friends and neighbours. And always with a smile on her face, like a flag waved to celebrate the land of life ."

A long-time housewife, my mother never expected this flood of messages of congratulations and encouragement that she received in the space of two or three days. She became the queen of social networks and “an example to follow” for many social media users. Agence France Presse contacted me to take an appointment with the new “star”.

On April 13, I shared this post:

“Today, my mother, Nozha Belhassine, hosted photographer Abdelfettah Belaid from Agence France Presse (AFP) for a photo shoot. This story that started at family level thanks to the desire to protect her loved ones by sewing antivirus masks, is now taking on unexpected dimensions. Many and many of you showed her support, sympathy and admiration. She is deeply touched ! Thank you on her behalf!”

Even today, the people I meet through my work ask me about my mother’s news. I am always amazed: “But where do you know her from?” I keep forgetting the threads woven by online social networking, this fabulous machine connecting women and men.