We are excited to announce the winners of the "This is Not an Approved Mask" challenge! HeroX wants to thank everyone who participated in the challenge and shared their creative solutions. The very first days of the pandemic were a concerning time for people all over the globe, and many responded by assembling masks with the materials around them. Thankfully these make-shift masks are becoming less and less necessary as time goes on, so let's look back at the winners' creations with gratitude and good humor, acknowledging the function they served, whether literal or comical.

The challenge winners will all be the inaugural recipients of HeroX's  mini-challenge prize badge, which will soon be viewable on their user profiles. This special badge was made specifically for rapid-pace challenges that are hosted directly by HeroX.


Winners

  • "COVID-19 IS NOT THE END AS WE KNOW IT" by Ken & Judy O'Neill

    The inspiration was from Dr Who and the "Cyberman".
    The "glasses" and "eyes" is what happens when you take the "air' out of the mask.........not a good idea but all in good fun from the folks in Australia . (Down Under).
     
  • GET OFF ME by Vale & Aranza

    "Get off me", a project inspired by all the challenges that Covid-19 brought to our lives. From living with a distance between all of us, not being able to see our loved ones, not being able to hang out with our friends and enjoy life as we were used to. “Get off me” in Spanish “Aléjate de mí”, is aimed at this virus that changed our lives. Because we don't want it back, but for it to know that if it comes back, it will find us stronger than ever.
     
  • Sponge job mask by Isaac Mugabi

    I met this construction worker on 15th June 2021 after picking his lunch from the local trading center. I was inspired to take this picture because the first thing that stood out to me was my thought that he might have had difficulty breathing in this mask. I also had questions about why he wasn't provided a proper mask by his employers. Anyway, we had a good chat and I politely asked to take this photograph, to which he obliged. It was a difficult time for him, but we shared some humor.
     
  • Water Bottle Mask by mbarek elayboud

     
  • SURROUNDSound ENVIRONMENTALIST CLARITYearNEST! by  å🌐's team

     
  • POT's Covid by Jessica Naranjo

    POT's Covid, like "POSTCOVID", it's just a word game and humor. Wearing a pot on my head so I won't catch virus. You can listen around you, without take the pot up from your head; walk while you watch your steps, and speak too. This may be a silly idea though, but crazy and funny.
     
  • Seamless Combination by RuthEA Name

    The below piece of my initial PPE was my neck warmer. And the top… Well I know that it looks like a winter cap. (Actually, it is…) But at the time, I had no idea if my hair could keep the virus… Anyways, I hooked both around the back, and I did my best to make it seamless.
    This photo was taken on March 6th, 2020, and I used it to inform my parents of the possibilities available to protect themselves. Since France had prohibited all sales of masks before I could buy them, this was my plan B.
     
  • Palm Mask by Sara Elsafty

    A man used palm fronds and made his own distinctive mask.

A warm "Thank You" again to everyone who participated, and let's give the winners a round of applause!