Donating second-hand items is a helpful way to give back to organisations hoping to raise funds.
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Many organisations like Little Eden Society rely on the kindness of the community to cover some of their costs by selling donated items at their charity stores.
However, items donated to charity stores not only benefit the organisation but entrepreneurs who purchase their goods and stock from these stores.
One such individual is Ivory Park resident Mandisa Faku, who purchases her stock from Little Eden Society’s Charity shop located at De’ Sun Place, 33 Eighth Avenue.
Mandisa, who started selling items in 2010, said Little Eden’s store has helped her immensely.
Before selling second-hand goods to community members, Mandisa sold Tupperware which proved to be financially not sustainable for her or her family.
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“Before I came to the store and bought items from it, I was suffering.”
However, since she started her own business and bought her stock from the charity store her life has improved.
Mandisa said she was able to help her three children further their academic careers and put them through university with the assistance of her business.
Mandisa explained that each morning she travels from Ivory Park to Edenvale to purchase items from Little Eden’s Shop that she knows her customers will like.
“Once I find items for my business, I sell them to generate a profit and an income,” said Mandisa.
Some of the most popular items she sells include children’s toys, children’s clothes, linen, and blankets.
Shop manager Khodani Muthige said by assisting the store, community members are in turn assisting entrepreneurs.
“Without the support of the community we would have to close our doors and shoppers like Mandisa would be affected,” said Khodani.
“We understand that Covid-19 has hurt our community and thus has led to an increase in unemployment.”
Khodani said recently there has been a decline in the volume and quality of items donated to the charity shop.
He believes because of financial constraints people are either keeping their goods for longer or selling them themselves.
Khodani encouraged community members to continue donating to the store.
“Not all the items we receive are sold. We sort through the items and that which we can keep for our residents we keep and the rest we sell. Donating second-hand items goes a long way,” emphasised Khodani.
Public relations coordinator of Little Eden Society, Gaahele Mokgoro, said the store sells almost anything and everything except food products.
She said most of the shoppers who visit the store are informal traders and resellers, however, there are community members who frequent the store looking for hidden treasures.
With the arrival of spring, Gaahele encouraged residents who may be cleaning their homes to consider donating second-hand goods to the store.
She said the store is in constant need of fresh new clothes to update its wardrobe section along with household appliances, furniture, books or any other usable second-hand items.
For more information, visit www.littleeden.org.za
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