By ‘Majirata Latela
‘Sethala’ – a platform that is touted to enhance and facilitate dialogue between the private sector and the public sector – was launched in Maseru this week.
The platform, according to the minister of small business, cooperatives and marketing, Thesele ‘Maseribana is meant to give Basotho businesses and cooperatives a space to bare challenges that inhibit their growth. These include access to finance, low production capacity as well as access to national and regional and international markets.
At the event – aptly dubbed ‘dialogues’- small, medium, micro enterprises displayed and sold their products at the ‘Manthabiseng Convention Centre while at the same time listening to presentations from different ministries.
Many of the entrepreneurs who attended the launch said they fully support the ministry’s initiative to engage them in this kind of dialogues which afford them an opportunity to learn about a lot about the challenges associated with entrepreneurship.
One of the participants, None Maloka who manufactures shoes from sheepskin, said they need an open market which is safe and secure enough for them to sell their products. He added that they also need information on how to get financing in order to produce on a large scale, and how they can access international markets.
