Lesotho:Tsepiso Mpofu

Ts’episo Mpofu is one of the emerging entrepreneurs who is selling vegetables to the hawkers and village people. She buys and sell brooms, she is also making plastic hats and plant Calabash (traditional containers), decorate and sell them. She was initially selling brooms and vegetables until she was invited to the entrepreneurship trainings by Gender links (GL). “It is all of gender links help with getting my business off the ground I am very much appreciated” she said with a smile. She added that she thanks gender links support and efforts for her success of her business. She continued by explaining her first encounter with GL, she narrated that she was depressed, looking older than her actual age but after the first meeting she became a different person.

Mpofu can now speak to masses of people and is confident to speak with women about reproduction and health rights. On the other hand, she was able to expand her business by rearing chicken broilers and supply to the street vendors on credit and they pay after work other month end.

Mpofu has a business plan in place for marketing her business to attract more customers, she increased customer base through understanding the needs of her customers, such as asking for opinions from her customers regarding all services. Since started a business, she identified viable products and other services that have proved to be a success in the market.

The business has been able to create jobs because she is now able to pay her son for helping her with the deliveries. She indicated that she has budgets for the business to avoid overspending that may put business at risk of collapsing. It is not yet producing evidence of expenses and sales such as receipts or invoices for customers but she is keeping the records and she has a bank account for business. In terms of savings and self-sufficiency she has been able to save from the business even the income for the family has increased while the level of violence has been reduced.

She concludes that in future she would like to expand her business by increasing the vegetable garden, grow different vegetables and hire more people. She hopes to own big broiler farm by having enough space. For now, she is little bit behind because of challenges including the COVID-19 pandemic.