Even as the Muslim community observes the fasting month, our conservancy workers continue their quiet and reliable efforts behind the scenes, keeping the Sengkang estate clean and safe for all.

In a heartwarming display of community spirit, Ms Asha Edmund approached SKTC with the idea of donating dates to Muslim conservancy workers to support them in breaking their fast this Ramadan. We spoke with her to learn more about the inspiration behind this thoughtful and generous gesture.

What inspired you to reach out and give back to our conservancy workers?

I’ve been giving out snack boxes to conservancy workers since 2014. Since I decided to fast during Ramadan this year, I thought I would distribute dates during this season as our Muslim workers need to break their fast as well.

My interactions with the conservancy workers in my estate have always been positive. They’ve been helpful when I need assistance, and I wanted to give back with food because that’s how I was raised.

When I was younger and lived with my parents, we would welcome our neighbours in and share food with them. There would always be enough for everyone, even enough for visitors to pack some home. So, for me, I grew up expressing love and care through food.

You mentioned that you’re currently fasting. What inspired you to do this as a non-Muslim?

I was raised Catholic, but I’m at a phase of my life where I think one can learn from any religion.

I fast quite regularly as part of my lifestyle, but most people are used to having three meals a day and all kinds of snacks in-between. Having this routine disrupted is hard, because people use food and mealtimes to unwind, connect with each other and have fun. Taking these routines away for one month is not easy. But I like challenges and I like to learn from others.  

What do you hope people will take away from this season of fasting?

I encourage people who have not tried fasting to give it a shot. It makes you realise how little you actually need – from food, from life, from anything you choose to abstain from. It makes you remember how lucky we are to have so much.

When you realise how little you need, it naturally frees you to give more to others. You feel like you have more to share. The issues of the world diminish because we see more humanity in one another. And extraordinary change can start with an ordinary person. You make one worker smile, and he goes on to do the same for someone else. Love moves. It’s not stationary, these things.