After befriending elderly residents living alone in her Yio Chu Kang neighbourhood, housewife Diljan Shaik Arif Ali found that many of them prefer home-cooked fare to that sold at food stalls.
She started cooking simple dishes such as rice, mixed vegetables and non-spicy curry chicken for about 10 of them almost daily, with the expenses coming from her own pocket. She had been doing this for about two years, before the two-month circuit breaker.
When she has cooked enough food to go around, she gives some to needy families, especially larger ones with young children, those with one breadwinner, or with parents who have medical conditions.
The 41-year-old is among the Singaporeans in the National Day Parade (NDP) "stories of strength" film today, as part of 55 stories of people who embody strength and resilience. Twenty stories are showcased in the morning parade segment, with the rest in the official music video and the evening show.
Ms Diljan's friendship with her neighbours - who come from all races - began when she saw them sitting by themselves outside their homes, or at the void deck of their rental block. "When I cooked food, they would eat it in front of me and say 'it's very nice', and share more about themselves," she says.
Ms Diljan, who started volunteering at 21 as a grassroots member, estimates the expenses come up to $30 a day, though she sometimes uses food donated by a food bank. The cooking involves only one meal a day, and not every day.
During the circuit breaker, when she could not visit her neighbours, she would phone them. Other volunteers in Yio Chu Kang also visit residents, especially when they do not answer calls.
"One senior citizen fell at home, and did not answer calls. When I visited, I saw that she couldn't walk, and called the police to break open the gate," she says.
She hopes to resume her food distribution next month, though she moved last December to Canberra Crescent, four MRT stops away.
Four other mothers in their 40s in Yio Chu Kang have joined in to support Ms Diljan. They distribute bento boxes sponsored by the charity Beyond Social Services.
Her family, including two daughters aged 15 and five, helps out. Ms Diljan, whose husband is a wiring technician, says of being featured in the NDP: "I feel honoured and happy. At the same time, I hope more people would come on board to do volunteer work, because there are still a lot of people who still need help."
