By Mosa Matela
Grand Events & Wedding Stationery -in partnership with Buy Lesotho- will host what is to be an impressive first annual wedding expo marked to educate and inspire Basotho to collaborate in provision of services and goods that are in high demand at weddings.
The event will be held at ‘Manthabiseng Convention Centre in Maseru.
Grand Events & Wedding Stationery (GEWS) is an organisation -founded by Popi Manamolela- that specialises in event décor and planning.
It has partnered with Buy Lesotho, which is an organisation that strives to aid and provide opportunities that will allow Basotho in business to thrive.
From March 18-19, Grand Events will be hosting a two-day wedding expo and workshop. This will equip Basotho with a variety of skills that are profitable and necessary for the events and décor industry.
The theme of this expo is “Carving Grand Opportunities”. It is based on their mission to present an innumerable amount of career opportunities to the nation and their aim to impart skills towards the growth of Basotho.
When asked about what inspired the launch of this expo, Lebohang Mohapi, the communications officer at Buy Lesotho, told the publication that the entire event has been inspired by the notion of growth and progression.
“This growth is not only for Grand Events & Wedding Stationary, but also for all related industries alike. With this expo, Grand Events intends on inspiring broad collaborations in services rendered around a wedding,” Mohapi said.
One of the major activities that will be taking place at this event is providing Basotho with the skills to enhance their knowledge and mastery in flower arrangements. For this, they will collaborate with Kagisho Catering & Décor to impart these floral skills to Basotho.
As a result of the expo, GEWS hopes to create a broad network of flower arrangers. With this, they will be able to grow and expand the events and décor industry and they will be able to eliminate pressures and create more jobs.
“In every economy there is a pool of growth and in the events and décor industry we have found that we can create a pole of growth from flowers,” Mohapi added.
He also went on to express that flowers are the centrepiece for a lot of events and personal occasions, Therefore, GEWS believes that this market can be expanded.
Grilled on challenges faced on planning and organising, it was learned that logistical problems were topping the list.
However, a grand support from previous colleagues and a team that works together ensures that organising the wedding events run smoothly by meeting requisite standards.
She smartly advised those investing in décor industry to do so wholeheartedly and avoid indulging in an excessive lavish lifestyle using companies’ profits.
“I would also like to advise them not to be afraid to start and not be reluctant to seek help,” Manamolela said.
She has persistently maintained good principles that have kept her canoeing forward to empower and educate a lot of Basotho in such business type.
There is a fee of M5500 that comes with tools and flowers that will be used during the training. The tools may be taken home for trainees to continue practising and to hopefully venture into own businesses.
