“My favourite volunteering activities include playing the drums, doing art and painting, and teaching my friends how to exercise with simple hand and leg movements,” shared Ramlah, who leads the exercise programme at Thye Hua Kwan Seniors Activity Centre in MacPherson on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Posing in front of one of the Centre’s art piece painted by fellow senior volunteers and herself, the 67-year-old added that her active lifestyle and nimbleness can be attributed to her ten-year experience as a hawker.

Ramlah used to own a food stall at Changi Road, dishing up local favourites such as mee goreng, mee siam and nasi briyani. Under the persuasion of her son however, she sold the store a few years ago. “My son was not happy because he doesn’t want me to work too hard at my age.” However, business has not ceased as the mother of three still takes orders from friends, former customers and the Centre during special occasions. When she is not cooking or at the Centre, she spends time with her six grandchildren whom she would cook for and play with when they come over for a visit.