Nurse spends her free time running $2 game booth so every child gets to play
When she's not tending to her patients, nurse Emily Yap is working hard at making playtime accessible for all kids.
Her mother, Stomper Audrey, shared that for the past three years, Ms Yap has been running a humble game booth at the Children's Charities Association of Singapore's annual fair with her team - all to make sure no child walks away without joy.
At Ms Yap's booth, children can play a game for $2 and win a pre-loved toy. That price has remained unchanged every year, even as costs have risen.
"It's never really about the $2 - it's about the kids," said the nurse and founder of Dunearn Youth.
She explains why: "Some things shouldn't be marked up, like laughter, and the belief that every child deserves a chance to play."
While some children rush up eagerly, Ms Yap keeps an eye out for the quieter ones who might not be able to afford a ticket.
For those children, she and her team do not ask questions.
"We just give them a ticket and say, 'Go on, everyone deserves a turn,'" she said. "If they say, 'I don't have money,' I tell them, 'Smiles are payment enough.'"
This year alone, she and her youth volunteers have saved 200 toys from the landfill, giving them a second life with children who will love them just as much.
Audrey shared her pride in her daughter's efforts, saying that she has always had a big heart for children and the community.
"In a world that measures worth in dollars, we measure ours in smiles," Ms Yap said.
