Clean the estate, check. Retrieve valuables, check. Fight fire, check. Ismail, 30, has done all these and more, going the extra mile for the past 4 years in serving residents of Keat Hong estate to the best of his ability.

Ismail, a Bangladeshi, supervises the group of cleaners for Blocks 476A to 476D, 483 to 486 and 487 to 490 at Choa Chu Kang Avenue 5, in Keat Hong estate. 

He first came to Singapore 8 years ago when his family needed money following a crisis. The oldest of three children, Ismail, who was in his second year of college studying accountancy, dropped out of school to support his family.

His favourite part of the day is meeting the children in Keat Hong who greet him every morning. Unlike his peers who had some residents shun them due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, Ismail is thankful for the friendly residents who continue to greet him and show appreciation for his work.

Ismail has been commended for a variety of good deeds, including putting out a fire recently. He singlehandedly pushed a burning recycling bin away from residents’ cars to save them from damage and put the fire out. He earned praises from residents and the police for his brave and quick-thinking act.

Always ready to go the extra mile, Ismail has also searched rubbish bins at odd times of the day to help residents retrieve valuables such as mobile phones, car keys or even wallets discarded by accident.

On why he goes beyond the call of duty, he said: “I understand the pain of losing something precious. I want to do whatever I can to help my residents avoid that. Even if I get dirty, I can always clean myself up after the search.”

Also, Chua Chu Kang is like his second home. Majority of the residents treat the estate cleaners well, dropping by to check on them when they noticed someone’s absence or even giving them food, clothes or shoes, Ismail added.

In his free time, Ismail enjoys cooking, reading, watching Bollywood movies and meeting members of his family who are in Singapore.

His second brother joined him here in Singapore 3 years ago. The 25-year-old also works as an estate cleaner in Tampines. The brothers meet on their rest days and make video calls home to catch up with their parents and youngest brother whom they are putting through school.

Doing his job well and keeping the estate clean makes him happy, Ismail said. Though there exist challenges which sometimes make his job more difficult. For example, dealing with litter, bulky items left at the void deck, or smouldering cigarette butts that pose fire hazards.

“If there is less littering, then we can do our jobs very fast and then we can do more also,” he said. Always helpful, Ismail has been spotted giving residents a hand to move heavy items and putting back fallen street banners on his own accord.

“It is only human nature to help when you see someone in need,” he said.