Zubin and Tenzing Carvalho are brothers who attend Western Center Academy in the Hemet Unified School District. Beyond attending classes through distance learning, they have been teaching a proverbial master class in entrepreneurship.
After hearing of the extreme shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) for local nurses and doctors last spring—including their father and grandfather who work on the frontlines—the brothers decided to take action.
Using the 3-D printing skills and equipment they learned about at school, they decided to start their own business, SoCal Face Shields For Frontline Workers. They have donated face shields to hospitals, tribal organizations, schools, and community organizations all over Riverside County.
“It feels wonderful to help people, especially frontline workers, knowing that they’re risking their lives every day at work, helping COVID patients and helping the community,” said Zubin in an interview with the L.A. Times.
“We’re just kids, but nowadays you have the opportunity to help people in many different ways,” said Tenzing during the same interview.
Throughout the summer and the early fall, the need continued to grow, the media attention drew more donations, and the brothers found way to expand their operations while achieving status as a non-profit organization.
Their work has recently been recognized by a $5,000 grant from Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles, and they promptly invested those funds into additional 3-D printers to expand their operations with other schools and districts.
Fast forward many months later, and Zubin and Tenzing’s relentless drive has led to the production and donation of more than17,000 face shields and 2,000 anti-fog/anti-scratch safety glasses to dozens of organizations.
In December, Zubin and Tenzing were honored as the COVID Innovator Entrepreneurs of the Year at the Spirit of the Entrepreneur Awards. The 18th annual gala event, presented by Cal State San Bernardino and produced by the Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship (IECE), recognized nine (9) entrepreneurs selected from nearly 200 nominees and 48 semi-finalists (watch Zubin and Tenzing describe their operations and accept their award).
They are still printing, but also have started grant writing” said their mother, Grace Carvalho. “For us, it is personal since three of our family members died of COVID-19 and their grandparents and dad still work on the frontlines during this time period.
As the brothers continue their quest to provide front line workers with what they need to protect themselves and others, they remain hopeful for a return to normal.
“They are actually working on science fair projects dealing with PPE and COVID-19,” Grace said. “They are excited for the vaccine and can't wait to be in school again."