Being on the frontlines of the pandemic, Minnesota health care workers Yasmin Samatar and Faraoli Adam have struggled to find personal protective equipment for Muslim women like them.

Samatar and Adam, both 29, met at St. Catherine’s University in St. Paul, where they studied to become respiratory therapists.

Though hospitals provide sterile protective equipment to health care workers, they didn’t have a head covering that met a Muslim Woman’s veil (hijabi) standard.

“We had to find the right material so it’s not too hot or thick, but also not too sheer and meets hijabi modesty standards,” Samatar said.

They settled on two disposable designs: the Zanub, a pull-over with an adjustable elastic band around the face, and the Ikram, a one-size-fits-all wrap.

Mawadda officially launched on Nov. 9, and has since gained international attention, with 30 percent of their reach coming from France, according to business analytics on their website. Their site has also reached users in the United Kingdom and China.

Samatar and Adam hope that providing culturally appropriate protective garments in hospitals will lead to more inclusivity and comfort for Muslims in health care.

“It’s created by us, for us. But having culturally appropriate protection won’t just affect us, it will affect everyone under the care of a Muslim woman: patients, families and communities,” Samatar said.

Islam sees hijab as an obligatory code of dress, not a religious symbol displaying one’s affiliations.

Source: St. Paul Pioneer Press