Yunisha Philip’s work empowers women at every stage

This International Women’s Day, five women show us how everyday actions reshape workplaces, communities and cultures to impact lives around them. This series is created in partnership with Uniqlo.

Yunisha’s outfit: Scalloped Crew Neck Cardigan,Smooth Cotton Polo Sweater Stripe, Vintage Belt, and Baggy Curve Jeans, Uniqlo

For families looking to hire a domestic helper, the process is often arduous and inefficient. However, Yunisha Philip is drawing on her own experience to change that narrative by offering a time-saving, fully digitalised experience for her clients.

Yunisha had two young children – a one-year-old son, Matin, and a newborn daughter, Alysa – under her care when she started looking for a domestic helper to join their family in 2019.

“I spent hours – sometimes an entire day – just trying to find an agency. I had to be physically present in the office to view helpers, which was inconvenient. I also didn’t like the idea of signing the documents only in the agency office,” Yunisha recalls. “As a new mum and busy working mother, I had very limited time.”

The 33-year-old adds: “The experience felt outdated and not client-friendly, which pushed me to create a better, modern and more empowering solution for families.”

Taking those pain points onboard, Yunisha launched Beyond Bibik, a migrant domestic helper agency that leans into a fully digital experience. Potential clients can browse, hire and even sign with their chosen candidate online, without needing to wait around in an agency office. Additionally, Beyond Bibik arranges for their domestic helpers to be deployed directly to their clients’ homes on their first day of work.

Yunisha’s close relationship with Nuraini, her family’s domestic helper of 25 years, was part of the inspiration for Beyond Bibik. “Nuraini was a constant support while my parents worked, and she became like family to us,” Yunisha explains, adding that she stayed in touch with her even after she retired until she passed on. “Her dedication and love left a deep impact on me.”

Within the migrant domestic helper agency market, Beyond Bibik stands out for its specialised screening and training processes. Yunisha implements stringent background checks, training and cooking classes, which utilise Beyond Bibik’s homemade pastes to familiarise domestic helpers with local flavours. She also believes a good agency is one that goes above and beyond for their clients.

The former business analyst recalls an incident when one of Beyond Bibik’s domestic helpers, Saripah, suffered a brain aneurysm in 2023 – and her medical bills were expected to exceed $100,000.

Knowing full well that the mandatory medical insurance was insufficient to cover that cost, Yunisha started a fundraiser page to help raise money for Saripah. She also flew Saripah’s husband from Indonesia to Singapore so she could have the extra support she needed.

Last year, Beyond Bibik introduced confinement nanny services to provide better support for post-partum mothers – which Yunisha believes was a necessary step for Beyond Bibik.

“Recovery is not just physical. The mental load after having a baby is quite heavy, and having an experienced nanny makes a big difference,” she explains. “Many modern mums don’t live with their parents or in-laws, which makes professional support essential.”

Yunisha’s personal mission with Beyond Bibik is to empower women, from supporting new mothers to seeing helpers grow with dignity. “It’s about creating real impact, making families’ lives easier, and knowing that our work helps women focus on their goals and well-being,” she says. “When they tell us they’re satisfied and supported, that’s when we know we are truly doing meaningful work.”

ART DIRECTION Adeline Eng & Ray Ticsay
STYLING Bryan Goh
HAIR Grego Oh
MAKEUP Lasalle Lee
COORDINATION Sophie Hong & Cheryl Chan