KUALA LUMPUR – “No child should be left behind.” With this in mind, Association of Toy Libraries Malaysia president Wong Poai Hong has spent the last 25 years setting up 50 toy libraries at low-cost flats, Orang Asli villages and kindergartens in remote areas.
The model on which she operates is simply recycling toys that find their way to landfills.
Hence, instead of disposing of the toys which are no longer wanted, they can be dropped off at the Toy Recycling Hub in SS3, Petaling Jaya.
This is how the concept of the RePlay Toy Library was also born.
“The main aim of a replay library is to reduce the number of toys in landfills.
“With Malaysia’s toy industry estimated to be worth RM873 million annually, it is said that 30% of the total amount or 600,000 toys are thrown away, ending up in landfills and rubbish dumps,” said Wong.
The right of a child to experience play is enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
According to Article 31 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, state parties recognise the right of a child to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child, and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts.
Replay means recycle for play in which the main aim is to introduce the concept of sustainability in order to reduce costs.
“While play is important for a child, we want pre-loved toys to be used in toy libraries for children from marginalised communities, thus reducing the need to spend millions of ringgit to purchase new toys,” said Wong, who has seen how the use of play has had a positive effect on children from B40 communities.
Wong’s partner, Nadiah Halim Abdul, a socialpreneur, who together with Wong set up the first replay library at Rumah Tangsi, Kuala Lumpur, said that their main aim was to establish a link with local communities.
“The toys are dropped off at Rumah Tangsi, sorted, cleaned, sanitised and repaired for reuse. Even batteries and lights can be replaced,” said Nadiah.
Hung Bee Ling from Reimagine Plastics, the main partner of RePlay Toy Library, manages the collection toys and prepares them for reuse, whether through repair, or a complete transformation through upcycling (melting down the original toy to create a new product).
“The whole idea is to not waste pre-loved toys, and to create a circular ecosystem for the toy industry in Malaysia where families not only come and use the toys here in Rumah Tangsi, but can also rent out the toys to kindergartens, make new toys for sale and even offer jobs to those in marginalised communities to work with us,” said Hung.
Hung has attended special courses to master the art of upcycling and has created new products with the use of special machinery, which melts down plastic and transforms them into plastic stools, chairs, and other useful items.
Wong believes play therapy is not only beneficial for younger children but also provides a safe environment where parents can spend time with their children and engage with them.
She also believes old spaces should be transformed by breathing new life into them with a variety of activities and workshops.
“Rumah Tangsi is a heritage building, beautifully preserved, making it an excellent location for the RePlay Toy Library. It has lots of space and light for children to roam around and move freely.
“Play therapy should be made available to children from all walks of life, not just for the elite. Board games are also important for building skills in young children,” she said.
Recently, Wong ran a series of workshops for children, creating handmade mosquito repellent, little triangle pouches and bookmarks using recycled materials.
“We received an excellent response towards the replay library and most of the children were accompanied by their parents. Many want to come back for our workshops, which are scheduled on weekends.
“We want to create an inclusive place so that children from all communities can benefit – have a safe haven to spend their time. We also want to include special needs children as they need playtime as well,” said Wong. – The Vibes, November 18, 2021
