For Francis, the heart of Ramadan and Hari Raya isn’t just about home – it’s about area. She learned that her faith valued generosity and benevolence, so whatever she cherishes at house, she hopes to share with people, too.
” Growing away, I loved celebrating my day by giving back“, she said, recalling how she worked with female ‘ houses, temples, and homes to deliver meals on her day.
” For my 40th, I spent the day at an institution, working with employees and volunteers to give dinners for the kids.
” In the early years of our wedding, my house felt like a community center, particularly during Ramadan and Hari Raya,” she said”. It’s a major factor in my very good extended family – both my side and my in-laws ‘ – to provide all kinds of dishes to our neighbours, whether it’s spaghetti or lemak cili padi.”
That benevolence was something she had experienced much before she married Haikel.  ,
” Growing up as a young child in Ang Mo Kio, my neighbours had hand-feed me their foods, and when I was a girl living only in Singapore while my folks were abroad, my neighbours took care of me by cooking for me.”
Even the food stalls below her home played a role:” I practically lived on ‘ downstairs hawker food’.
” I’d eat chicken rice almost every day, and the hawkers would make sure I was well-fed. It meant everything to me, and it’s why I was inspired to sell chicken rice, too”.