Do Good

3 ways to support Oasis: shop, donate or take your recycling there

These are a few of the treasures that have been discovered at the Oasis Bric-a-Brac shop: the first editions of a J.R.R Tolkien book and George Orwell’s 1984, and a small, leather-bound religious notebook with a tiny watercolour drawing once owned by world-renowned painter Irma Stern.

There's a peaceful outside area where you can have coffee and cake; images courtesy Oasis Association

Treasure-hunting at Oasis can bring rich rewards, but contributing is the most fulfilling. The shop is just one part of the Oasis Association, which started as a school for the intellectually disabled in 1952 and has expanded to what it is today, a village with daycare centres, houses for the disabled, a bakery and recycling centre.

YOU CAN SHOP OR DONATE TO OASIS

Oasis is a vital resource for Cape Town’s intellectually challenged people and their families, and just two of the ways it thrives is from your donations and you buying it’s special treasures. 

Before you go there to shop, clear out your cupboards of stuff you don’t use. Your unwanted items become the stock that the organisation puts up for sale to plough the funds back into its cause.

You can find treasures like this cute set of 6 ceramic coffee cups and saucers; images courtesy Oasis Association

SUPPORT 600 INTELLECTUALLY DISABLED PEOPLE

Without the Oasis Association, 600 intellectually disadvantaged adults and children in Cape Town would have nowhere to go during the day. There aren’t many state services to support them. 

Oasis benefits are even broader, says Gail Bester, Oasis’ executive director.

Real finds have been unearthed here, like the first edition of a Tolkien novel; images courtesy Oasis Association

“It’s not just that an intellectually challenged adult comes here or that a child goes to the daycare centres, but it means their parents or carers are also free to work.” 

Plus, she says, earning a living is significant for an Oasis’ adult’s self-worth. “Some are the only breadwinners in their family and have real standing in the community as a result,” explains Gail.

CLEAN OUT YOUR HOUSE + CUPBOARDS FOR GOOD 

If you love the thrill of hunting for treasures, then make the Oasis Bric-a-brac shop in Claremont a regular haunt. Besides the treasures mentioned above, there are always other delightful finds: bright yellow ceramic cups and saucers that would add a pop of colour to a kitchen shelf, a gorgeous rocking chair to place in a baby’s room or on the stoep, second-hand carpets to warm a room, all at reasonable prices.

If you have any excess goods in working condition, consider donating them to Oasis, which does valuable work for Cape Town's society; image courtesy Oasis Association

These goods are donated by people moving or who have excess goods and value the work Oasis does. “We look for anything that’s sellable,” says Gail, “from books to household items, furniture, hardware and clothes.” 

Note: while it appreciates all donations, Oasis is not a dumping ground so please only bring goods in working order as there is no facility to fix things. It does, however, also take recycling, and you can go to its website to find out more about this. 

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Drop off your recycling, donate items, buy coffee or second hand shop at Oasis. 

Here are more good ideas for Mandela Day.

Looking for more treasures. Then take a look at this bargain-hunters guide.

Second-hand furniture is a specialised field, and here’s where you can go to find that unique piece that will finish your lounge look.

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