Short description
OASIS provides employment opportunities, skills development training and care for men, women and children with disabilities in the greater Cape Town area.
Need
According to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), there are approximately four million people with disabilities in South Africa. The study also indicates that only around 19% of disabled persons are employed compared to 35% of non-disabled persons. Only 15% of disabled youth aged 15 to 24 are employed compared to 25.5% of non-disabled youth.
These low levels of employment for the disabled population highlights their continued marginalisation and lack of independence within society. In addition these staggering figures draw attention to the need for skills development and job creating projects for disabled people in South Africa.
Overview
Oasis Association began as a school in 1952 and was established by the parents of children with intellectual disabilities because the children were excluded from mainstream schools. It evolved into a training centre, but as the children matured, the parents realised that there was a desperate need for employment. Today the workshops provide protective employment for intellectually disabled adults as there are limited opportunities for employment in the open labour market. The organisation has a range of job creation projects: three recycling depots; three shops; a bakery and tea garden; a catering unit; and contract units (for companies outsourcing part of their assembly line).
The organisation provides on-going skills development, capacity building programmes, continued education classes, social work services and feeding schemes for the adult beneficiaries. Furthermore daily transport to and from work is provided to ensure safe travel to work and accessibility to services.
All material at the organisation’s book store and recycling depot is donated by the public. Oasis also has a number of businesses from whom they collect recyclable material. Once Oasis cleans and sorts recyclable material it is sold to larger accredited recycling companies. All workers at the various workshops receive a monthly stipend.
Oasis also runs two day centres in Elsies River and Delft. These centres are attended by 90 children between the ages of two and 18 years with severe visual, auditory or physical disabilities. They are grouped into classes according to their mental age and developmental levels and participate in daily developmental programmes while receiving specialised care such as physiotherapy and occupational therapy.
The organisation also offers residential care to their workers. Any worker that is independent enough to perform basic tasks like feeding, washing and clothing themselves can apply to stay at one of the four Oasis houses. They pay for boarding costs on a monthly basis. Currently the organisation is in the process of securing another house.
The payment for other services that Oasis provides to the beneficiaries is dependent on each individual’s family’s capacity to pay. Many of the beneficiaries come from underprivileged homes thus costs are subsidised according to their family income.
What we like about this organisation
- Oasis provides a protected place of employment for over 360 disabled adults who are excluded from the open labour market. These beneficiaries receive a variety of services to help build their capacity and independence.
- The organisation generates nearly half of their income and has a number of investments
What difference can your money make?
- R10 000 will buy mattresses and bedside lights for 36 adults
- R250 000 will contribute towards transporting the adult and child beneficiaries to and from the centres on a daily basis
- R750000 will allow the organisation to purchase appliances and equipment (including industrial laundry equipment, industrial refrigerator and deep freezes, furniture) as well as to install solar heating for the new house
Volunteering opportunities
- Finance expert to assist the finance department
- IT skills training for Oasis staff members
- Artisanal skills for general repairs and maintenance of building
- Educational expert to run continued education classes for intellectually disabled adults