Asanul Fariq Sani, Norhasyimah Awaludin: Free groceries for all

The livelihood of Mr Asanul Fariq Sani and his wife Norhasyimah Awaludin was affected when the canteen stall they were operating at a school had to close during the circuit breaker last year.

But when they saw how other families were struggling to put food on the table during the Covid-19 pandemic, they felt they had to help. One family had nothing but a pack of instant noodles.

Starting with taking food to a few households in need, they eventually turned the space outside their unit at Block 268 Tampines Street 21 into a place for free groceries.

The Riqmah Kindness Corner stocked items such as instant noodles, canned food and biscuits, and people came from all across the island to help themselves, said Madam Norhasyimah, 45.

The initiative kicked off during Ramadan in April this year with what the couple thought would be a month's supply of food. The items ran out in three days. Each day, 30 to 40 families would come, looking for food.

"We started taking items from our own kitchen to give to those who came," said Mr Fariq, 48.

His wife added: "We were overwhelmed, but with joy. When we saw things running out, we knew it meant that we had reached our targeted audience."

The couple, who have four sons, dream of turning their small grocery corner into a bigger shop one day, so that they can continue to help more people.

Their ideal store would operate like a normal provision shop but with a "Kindness section". It would be stocked with free items paid for in advance by others for those in need.

Mr Fariq hopes their project will provide help to as many people as possible.

"I want everyone to feel welcome, they are not judged here," he added.