Maseru
In a world where gender equality remains a critical issue, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), through its Accelerator Lab, recently took a bold step forward by hosting a transformative assessment workshop dedicated to strengthening women-led enterprises.
The workshop, titled Her Empire, brought together trailblazing women from various sectors to share insights, foster collaboration, and inspire actionable change. It concluded with a certificate ceremony celebrating the participants’ achievements.
The workshop, held just days after International Women’s Day, marked the second cohort of the initiative and reinforced UNDP’s commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 5, which focuses on gender equality.
“Today we celebrate a significant milestone for these businesswomen on their journey toward the development and growth of their enterprises. In August 2024, these women embarked on an intensive 10-day boot camp where they were trained in various core business functions and explored existing market conditions,” said Teboho Daniel Molopi, Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Advisor.
Molopi highlighted the rigorous coaching and mentorship program that followed in October and November 2024, which included on-site visits to address challenges head-on.
He also stressed the need for climate-resilient and smart technologies to mitigate the negative effects of climate change, such as the impacts of drought and hazardous rainy seasons, on these enterprises.
Although some products from the women-led enterprises have made their way onto the shelves of major supermarkets like Pick and Pay, Molopi noted that they continue to face challenges in accessing larger, more lucrative international markets.
He encouraged the entrepreneurs to remain determined in their pursuit of success, emphasizing their potential to inspire future generations of women entrepreneurs and to create more jobs in the process.
Dr. Jacqueline Olweya, Resident Representative at UN Lesotho, also emphasized the timeliness of the event. “We recently celebrated International Women’s Day, and this event coincides with the national budget process, which is ongoing and will culminate at the end of March,” she said.
Dr. Olweya expressed hope that the presence of the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Business Development at the event would help secure resources to create an enabling environment for market access, credit facilities, and financial support, with a special focus on women and youth enterprises as well as other vulnerable groups, including women with disabilities.
Dr. Olweya also addressed a significant challenge faced by businesses in Lesotho, particularly women-led enterprises—the difficulty in meeting international standards. This issue, she explained, prevents these businesses from accessing international and regional markets.
She praised the inclusion of enterprises from four districts and five key sectors—agriculture, tourism, manufacturing, ICT, and services.Noma Hoohlo, an alumna of the program, expressed heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Olweya and the entire UNDP team for their dedication to advancing gender equity in enterprise development.
“Through your efforts, you have empowered us as women-led enterprises and paved the way for our active participation in driving Lesotho’s economic growth,” Hoohlo said.
Hoohlo also pledged that the participating enterprises would play a crucial role in job creation and environmental protection.
She urged her fellow participants to become beacons of inspiration for other women and youth, saying, “Let us be the inspiration that other women and youth need to realize their dreams. Through this ripple effect, we will see a transformed Lesotho—a country that is empowered, hopeful, vibrant, and prosperous.”
