Venerable Ho Yuen Hoe represents the different facets of a woman’s life – a filial daughter, a hardworking hairdresser, a loving mother, an entrepreneur, a nun, a carer of the elderly and a community leader.

Very little was known of this remarkable woman till her TV coverage as the “Extraordinary Nun” at the age of 88 years in 1996. However little was known even then about the trials and tribulations she had endured.

It attests to her resilience and forward planning, from the age of 27 when she arrived in Singapore till she reached her 40s, that not only did she work hard as a hairdresser but also fulfilled her responsibilities as a daughter. At the same time she became a single mother adopting six girls and waited till they grew up to serve the cause of Buddhism and dedicate the rest of her life to caring for others. She took care of single destitute Samsui women, then went on to caring for other women in need. What comes through clearly is her woman centred approach in her endeavors.

As an efficient forward planner and manager, Ven Ho managed to purchase land at the age of 44 through thrifty fund management. What is remarkable however is the fact that when she began her sheltered Home for Samsui women she did everything – cooking, cleaning, feeding, bathing, nursing, taking them to the doctors and even personally seeing to their last rites. These caring aspects of her personality are still visible when she makes her rounds in the new Nursing Home.

The strength of her dedication and devotion draws people to her and make them donate in different ways towards her work. She is not only able to raise funds but also secure donations in kind and services.