By Neo Kolane
The Basotho Enterprises Development Corporation (BEDCO) opened a facility called The Textile Hub @ BEDCO at the Sebaboleng Estate in Maseru yesterday as part of the Small Medium Enterprise (SME) development project.
BEDCO is an agency of the government of Lesotho that was established by an Act of Parliament. It is mandated to promote the development of Basotho-owned business enterprises.
The SME development project will provide capacitation, business development services, facilitation of access to markets and finance as well as the establishment of a shared textile service facility.
The chief executive officer of BEDCO, Idia Penane, said through the project the corporation endeavours to tap into the National Strategic Development Plan II, being manufacturing, in an effort to meet government objectives.
Penane advised Basotho textile works stand to benefit from the project as it will provide an opportunity to generate income while increasing production and export capacity at minimum costs.
Among the deliverables of the SME development project is the establishment of a shared textile services facility. It is aimed at providing textile machinery access to small businesses in the textile sector at a nominal fee.
“The facility will assist small businesses in the textile sector to be able to meet market requirements that often need significant investments in machinery which they might not afford.
“The facility will also contribute to enabling some of the workers in the textile industry who have recently lost their jobs to start businesses using their skills without having to bear the heavy initial cost acquiring equipment,” Penane said.
The Textile Hub @ BEDCO’s coordinator, Matsomoli Lesesa, said the facility houses a total of 21 machines.
Lesesa disclosed the services offered include printing, cutting, over locking, flat stitching, plain seaming, hemming pocket facing, attaching elastic lace, zigzag stitching and pressing.
“Entrepreneurs who are eligible to access the facility must be between the ages of 18 and 60 years with less than 200 orders to fulfil.
“The Textile Hub @ BEDCO will operate on Wednesday from 8:00am – 5:00pm and on Saturday’s from 9:00am to 3:00pm,” Lesesa said.
BEDCO saw the requirement for a shared textile services facility following the success if its woodwork or carpentry machine leasing programme at Sebaboleng in Maseru and Hlotse estates for the past 10 years.
The project has assisted approximately 1 500 micro, small and medium enterprises on a quarterly basis, many of whom have acquired a substantial market in large retail stores
