Call for Proposals: Bacha Entrepreneurship Project 2026
The Bacha Entrepreneurship Project is a youth-focused initiative aimed at promoting entrepreneurship and supporting the growth of youth-owned enterprises in Lesotho through business development support, mentorship, and access to opportunities that enhance sustainability and job creation.
To tackle poverty exacerbated by rising youth unemployment, the Basotho Enterprises Development Corporation (BEDCO), in partnership with the Revenue Services Lesotho (RSL) and the Standard Lesotho Bank (SLB), invites proposals for the Bacha Entrepreneurship Project.
The project aims to assist unemployed youth aged 21 to 35 in becoming entrepreneurs and driving economic growth by helping them start their own businesses. It seeks to cultivate a generation of young entrepreneurs who can overcome barriers to becoming job creators instead of job seekers. The three partners invite viable, sustainable, and profitable business proposals for a total start-up capital of M1,000,000.00.
Objectives
The project objectives are as follows:
o To fight unemployment and poverty by creating business opportunities for unemployed youth.
o To help create business opportunities and strengthen entrepreneurial culture among young Basotho aspiring entrepreneurs.
o To fund bankable business ideas of potential Basotho unemployed youth.
o To contribute towards economic growth by the creation of business enterprises, and thus broaden the tax net.
Eligibility Criteria
- The project specifically targets Basotho youth aged 21 to 35
- Basotho youth who have completed the Cambridge Overseas School Certificate (COSC) or the Lesotho General Certificate of Secondary Education (LGCSE) and above
- Aspiring and start-up businesses (a genuine interest in starting a business)
- Registered or non-registered businesses operating in Lesotho
- Business owners with no formal employment or not currently enrolled in school.
- Proposals are also welcome from start-ups led by eligible youth seeking funding for expansion.
- Submissions will be evaluated based on innovation, feasibility, a strong business case, and sustainability.
Required Documents
- Certified copies of Identity Documents
- Certified copies of qualifications
- Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Business documents (if applicable)
Final Submission Deadline: Friday, August 28, 2026, 17:00.