“It’s my responsibility to give back to the community.”

Suzette Yanga, outlet manager at Kopitiam (Tan Tock Seng Hospital), gives back through her involvement with Hope Worldwide Singapore in community outreach programmes for the elderly. Outside of managing Kopitiam and training new recruits, she is a firm believer in doing good selflessly.

“Before Covid-19, I’ve taken part in street donation drives and spent time with the elderly folks, especially those whose families are not visiting them,” she recalls.

Her do-good efforts hold no borders, regardless of where she resides. “I always try to put myself in their shoes, and since I’m capable of helping, why not share my blessings with people in need? So I feel it’s my duty to help others proactively.”

The Kopitiam outlet at Tan Tock Seng Hospital has its fair share of unique challenges. Suzette explains: “The diners here come to the hospital for various reasons and we need to be extra sensitive to their feelings.” Suzette recounts meeting a visually challenged elderly customer in her fifties, who had trouble ordering her food and was holding up the queue. Suzette came forward to help and even offered her a drink for free. Suzette kept the elderly lady company for the next 30 minutes as she sobbed and explained how her husband wasn’t doing well in the hospital.

Suzette also went the extra mile and gave the elderly woman her contact so she could always call for help. “I still look out for her when she was at Kopitiam visiting her husband.”

“I feel that women have very exceptional emotional qualities. When we use it empathetically, combined with our modern professional skill set, we can really do a lot.”

This is part of our #InternationalWomensDay 3-part series, where we celebrate the stories of our female frontliners like Suzette, who have touched the lives of their customers beyond their call of duty.